First Brock Purdy, now Jordan Mason: 49ers hit with another high school hidden gem

With Christian McCaffrey out, undrafted Gallatin HS (Tennessee) football alum Jordan Mason starts and thrives

San Francisco 49ers teammates Jordan Mason, right, and Brock Purdy were both lightly recruited out of high school and unheralded out of college. / Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

The San Francisco 49ers have done it again.

Brock Purdy went from lightly recruited high school quarterback to Mr. Irrelevant to star QB for the San Francisco 49ers after injuries created an opportunity.

Enter running back Jordan Mason, who's following that same playbook after blowing up with 28 carries for 147 yards and a touchdown starting Monday night in place of the injured Christian McCaffrey.

It's the most carries Mason had since his high school football career, when he starred for the Gallatin Green Wave in Tennessee.

Mason finished his senior season at Gallatin with 2,050 yards and 23 touchdowns on 259 carries, averaging 7.9 yards per carry.

What did he love most about high school football?

"Hitting," he told The Tennessean after his senior season ended. "That’s the game of football. I love to hit. If I get hit hard, it’s not what everybody thinks it is – they’ll ‘oooh’ and all that – but it’s just a regular football hit."

He set the school's single-game record for rushing yards that year with a 307-yard performance, then finished his career as Gallatin's all-time rushing leader with 4,523 yards.

A three-star recruit in the Class of 2017, Mason chose Georgia Tech over Iowa State and Middle Tennessee State.

A year later, Purdy would choose Iowa State as a three-star recruit out of Perry High School in Arizona, so they were close to becoming college teammates.

Mason's first two years at Georgia Tech were much better statistically than his last two, and he went undrafted in 2022, the same year San Francisco took Purdy with the last pick in the NFL Draft.

Mason made the 49ers' initial 53-man roster out of training camp as an undrafted free agent, finishing his rookie season with 258 rushing yards and his second year with 206.

His workhorse performance Monday night against the New York Jets showed the 49ers they have more than just a capable backup when McCaffrey is out. It was the first time since high school that Mason earned the bell-cow treatment.

And it probably earned him more playing time during the season even when McCaffrey is healthy as the 49ers try to limit the wear and tear on their $15.6-million-per-year RB1.

Mason's base salary in 2024 is $985,000.

The 49ers' next game is Sunday, Sept. 10, at the Minnesota Vikings, who beat the New York Giants in Week 1.

Differing reports are circulating about McCaffrey's status in Week 2, with Adam Schefter reporting that there's a good chance he won't play at Minnesota, giving Mason another start.

But George Kittle told ESPN after Monday's win over the Jets that he expects McCaffrey to play.

"When Christian is back next week, you’ll see some of those fun plays. You’re going to see the offensive MVP go out there and be a really good football player again,” Kittle said.

Whatever the case, Mason will be ready to carry the load again just like he did at Gallatin High School.

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-- Mike Swanson | swanson@scorebooklive | @sblivesports

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