Meet the “odd couple” of Super Bowl quarterbacks.

Greatness, from the get-go, was predicted for Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes, not so for San Francisco’s Brock Purdy, the longest of the longshots.

Coming out of Texas Tech, Mahomes was 10th overall draft choice by KC in 2017. In sharp contrast, Iowa State alum Purdy was the 262nd and last player drafted in 2022 when the 49ers called his name.

The final draftee earns the dubious title of “Mr. Irrelevant.” Eight QBs were selected ahead of him. Mahomes was the second QB taken in 2017, after Mitchell Trubisky by Chicago.

Now, the opposites are on a collision course for the 58th Super Bowl Sunday night in Las Vegas. What would the odds have been on that in Sin City?

Mahomes, wearing jersey No. 15, and Purdy, No. 13, will be the most cheered and jeered athletes on pro football’s grandest stage. Their performances will go a long way in determining the outcome.

Rookie years: Mahomes signed a four-year, $16.42 million contract with a 10.08 million bonus. He replaced Alex Smith as the Chiefs’ starter late in the season, then Smith was traded the next season, to Washington, so Mahomes would be the clear starter.

Just hoping to make the team, Purdy’s contract was more bargain basement, by comparison. He received a non-guaranteed (make good) four-year pact for $3.7 million with a $77,008 bonus. His base salary as a rookie was $705,000, a pittance for a starting NFL QB.

Purdy began the season as the third stringer behind Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo but took over due to injuries to both. Had Lance and Garoppolo both not gone down with season-ending surgery, we might not yet have heard of Brock Purdy.

Against common wisdom, Purdy guided San Fran to the NFL championship, versus Philadelphia, and might have taken his team to Super Bowl LVII if not for incurring a serious elbow injury requiring surgery.

Historical perspective: Mahomes, already with two Super Bowl crowns, has moved up the list of football’s most successful signal callers.

Even Tom Brady, with seven Super Bowl rings, might be within Mahomes’ reach. Only QB’s with more than Mahomes’ two are Joe Montana and Terry Bradshaw with four each, and Troy Aikman and Earl Morrall with three.

Meanwhile over achiever Purdy becomes the lowest-drafted QB ever to start a Super Bowl and the third youngest at 24.

This season: Purdy has had a slightly better season, passing for 4,280 yards, with 31 touchdowns, 11 interceptions and a league best 111.3 passer rating.

In playoff wins over Green Bay and Detroit, he tossed for 519 yards with two TDs and one pick.

During regular season, Mahomes threw for 4,183 yards with 27 TDs and 14 picks. His QB rating was 92.6.

In playoff wins over Miami, Buffalo and Baltimore, Mahomes passed for 718 yards with four TDs and no picks.

Fun facts: Mahomes’ powerful arm wasn’t by accident. His father, Pat Sr., pitched in the major leagues and Japan from 1992 to ’03. Patrick was a talented high school pitcher himself in Tyler, Texas.

The number 13 is considered unlucky by many, but not in Purdy’s case. He grew up a passionate fan of Miami Dolphins QB Dan Marino. Like his idol, Purdy wears No. 13 and has become “Mr. Relevant.”