The San Francisco 49ers used a seventh-round pick on Indiana Hoosiers QB Kurtis Rourke in the 2025 NFL Draft. The Canadian rookie has a chance to be QB3 next season behind Brock Purdy and Mac Jones, competing with Tanner Mordecai for that role.
On Tuesday, Rourke's future in the NFL got slightly more complicated. The 24-year-old QB was selected by the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the third round of the CFL Draft.
49ers QB Kurtis Rourke Gets Selected in the CFL Draft
Rourke was the 25th-overall pick on Tuesday, a big fall from where he was projected to go. In pre-draft rankings, Rourke was considered a top-three pick. His fall can be attributed to the CFL teams expecting Rourke to make an NFL roster.
Rourke has not yet signed his rookie contract with the 49ers. He will presumably make the training camp roster and be an option on the practice squad, but whether he would prefer that over a chance to start in the CFL remains to be seen.
Once Rourke wrapped up his season at Indiana, it was revealed that he had played the entire season on a torn ACL. He then underwent surgery to repair the tear in his right knee. It's unclear whether that played a role in his draft spot in the NFL or the CFL, but Rourke is already medically cleared and should be a full-go for training camp and preseason.
The ACL tear reveal makes Rourke's 2024 season that much more impressive. The talented QB went 10-1 in 11 starts, throwing with 70.4% accuracy, and having a 29:4 TD:INT ratio. In a game against Purdue, he tied a school record by throwing for six touchdowns in a dominant 66-0 win.
How the rest of the QB room behind Purdy and Jones shapes up will be determined closer to the start of the season, but it looks like Rourke will have a few options available to him.
If he's looking to win a championship, the 49ers' Super Bowl odds on FanDuel Sportsbook (+2500, No. 10 in the NFL) certainly fall short of the Roughriders' odds to win the Grey Cup (+650, No. 4 in the CFL).
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