According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the San Francisco 49ers signed Wisconsin’s Tanner Mordecai as an undrafted free agent following the draft, despite not selecting a late-round quarterback this year.
Calling him a “fighter,” Wisconsin offensive coordinator Phil Longo noted that he left a lasting effect in his single season with the Badgers. After Brock Purdy, Josh Dobbs, and Brandon Allen, the 49ers will now have four quarterbacks on their roster with the addition of Mordecai, who also played for Oklahoma and SMU.
I wish I had Tanner for three or four years, I tell him every day, Longo stated in a December 2023 interview with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Furthermore, I value him not only as a warrior but also as a person. He is one of the hardest quarterbacks I have ever coached, despite the fact that coaches use that term a lot.
From a mental standpoint and a bodily standpoint,. That is how he has always been from the day he arrived. That is who he is, without a doubt. We were able to find our quarterback with that quality. My only sorrow is that he was hurt, Longo continued.
Mordecai’s hand injury prevented him from throwing for more than 2,006 yards and nine touchdowns in 2023—only four interceptions. In addition, he ran for 304 yards and four touchdowns.
Unless he makes a lasting impression on the 49ers coaching staff that allows him to pass Allen or Dobbs, Mordecai can compete at camp and potentially make the practice squad. On the last day of the 2022 draft, the 49ers had a similar situation when they selected Purdy with the final pick.
Tanner Mordecai Had Greater Success Prior to the Badgers’ Loss
Originally from Waco, Texas, Mordecai spent three seasons as a student at Oklahoma before moving to Wisconsin for two seasons at SMU. Throughout his career, Mordecai passed for 9,857 yards, 85 touchdowns, and 27 interceptions.
He had his best seasons as a Mustang, lighting things up at SMU. In 2021, Mordecai had 12 picks against 3,628 yards and 39 touchdowns on 67.8% of his passes. With 3,524 throwing yards and 33 touchdowns against 10 interceptions in 2022, he performed admirably.
For Toughness, Tanner Mordecai Overcame Fellow Badgers QB
Like Longo, Luke Fickell, another quarterback for the Badgers, also praised Mordecai’s toughness. Last season, Fickell had to fill in for Mordecai, but following his return, Mordecai completed the season.
According to Fickell’s March Badger Notes, “there was never a hesitation regarding what he wanted to accomplish or what he was going to do.” “There was never any doubt about his decision to play in this game; there was a player who played on a broken hand after three and a half weeks or four weeks; he couldn’t clap for four weeks out there, I mean.”
“You know, in order to help us advance our program and kind of provide an example of what things might look like when you really go all in,” Fickel continued, “for him to go out and not just play the way he did but practice the way he did led the way he did.”
