Mr. Irrelevent

[The Gipper]

The title of Mr. Irrelevent has been given to the very last player selected in the NFL draft. I know that they give him a great big party in Orange Co. CA.

 

However, and unfortunely for the players involved...the title given to Mr. Irrelevent is entirely relevent. I have researched those players taken with the very last pick of each draft since 1936....and truly Mr. Irrelevent does indeed become irrelevent because only a handful of the 77 players taken sinc then have actually made any kind of minor career in the NFL. A large majority never saw action in a single NFL game. Some had at best a cup of coffee. Here are the best ones I could find of all those selections:

 

1949 John Schweder OG played in 71 games

 

1961 Jacque MacKinnon TE had 2100 receiving yards in his career

 

1973 Charlie Wade WR 39 career catches

 

1980 Tyrone McGriff OG played in 36 career games

 

1987 Matt Elliot OG played 5 years in 63 games

 

1994 Marty Moore LB played 6 years had 110 career tackles 3 career ints

 

1999 Jim Finn FB gained only 423 career yards...but that may be good for a blocking back. Played 7 years

 

2000 Michael Green DB played 8 years 340 tackle 8 ints.

 

2008 Dave Vorboa LB played 3 years had 57 tackles

 

2009 Ryan Succop K Kicker may be the perfect position to draft at this spot. Succop may in fact become the best Mr. Irrelevent ever. He has an 81.5 FG pct. He is 8-13 in FGs over 50 yds in his career. He has also never missed an extra point in 4 years.

 

Notes on a few other Mr. Irrelevents:

 

1954 Ellis Hort went to Eureka college, same small school as Ronald Reagan

 

1967 Jimmy Walker Holds the distinction of being the only person in history (and the only one ever likely to hold this distinction) of being not only the last person taken in the NFL draft, but also the very first person chosen taken in the NBA draft. Yes, he was the #1 overall draft choice in the 1967 NBA draft.

He also is the father of former Fab Five/NBA star now commentator Jalen Rose

 

1969 Fred Zirkle chosen by the Jets. Is somewhat of a cult figure in NY because of his title and his name.

 

1985 Don Chumley. Not sure if he is related to Chumley of Pawn Stars.

 

1985 Larry Wanke. Was a QB from John Carroll.

 

1993 Daron Alcorn. Was a DB from Akron U.

 

Actually, some of the next to the last players taken were of as much or more interest than the last players taken:

 

1964 Next to last pick Center Bill Curry of Alabama was Joe Namath's battery mate at Alabama and was drafted by the Packers and started for the Packers in their 3 consecutive championships including the first two SBs.

 

1971 RB Don Nottingham, next to last pick. From Ravenna High and Kent State. I watched him in high school. When he got to the pros he was known as the Human Bowling Ball. He was very tough. He was a backup RB in the Colts SB loss to the Colts in 1971 and in the Dolphins SB win in 1973. As much a blocker as anything. Gained 2500 yards in a 7 year career.

 

1977 K Rolf Benerschke. Again, good use of very late round pick...except he was selected next to last by the Raiders who let him go...but hooked up with the Chargers and was their kicker for about a dozen years during their late 70s/early 80s hey day.

 

1978 Bill Kenney QB. Also selected next to last. Was the Chiefs primary QB for at least 7 seasons. Threw over 100 career TDs and over 17000 career yard.

 

2001 Andre King WR, chosen by the Browns with next to last pick.

 

2009 Dan Gronkowski TE Chosen by Detroit next to last. I believe he is still on Browns roster.

[Guest]

Marty Moore played for the Browns. Decent special teamer and role player on a bad Browns team in 2000.

 

Zombo

[ballpeen]

Marty Moore played for the Browns. Decent special teamer and role player on a bad Browns team in 2000.

 

Zombo

 

I thought his name rung a bell.