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The nickname "Mr. Irrelevant" -- given to the player selected as the last pick in the NFL draft -- has been used for decades, but San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy rekindled interest in the topic last season. On Saturday, Alabama safety Jaylen Key became the latest to wear the tag when the New York Jets selected him with the 257th and final pick of the 2024 NFL draft.
Johnson will look to scale the same heights as Purdy, who took over the starting job in Week 14 after then-starter Jimmy Garoppolo went out with a foot injury and eventually lifted the 49ers to the NFC Championship Game. He became the only Mr. Irrelevant QB in the common draft era (since 1967) to start and win a playoff game. In his five regular-season and three playoff starts, Purdy ranked third in QBR (68.9), fifth in completion percentage (67.4%) and tied for third in passing touchdowns (14) before suffering an elbow injury. He had surgery on March 10.
Other notable Mr. Irrelevants include kicker Ryan Succop (2009) -- a Super Bowl LV winner with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers whose 82.9% field goal percentage ranks 37th in NFL history, according to Pro Football Reference -- and linebacker Tae Crowder (2020), who had 232 total tackles, two sacks and two interceptions in three seasons for the New York Giants before being signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The nickname and Mr. Irrelevant Week -- a celebration and charity event -- were created by former player Paul Salata to celebrate the underdog. There have been many Mr. Irrelevants since Kelvin Kirk became the first in 1976. Here's the complete list:
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2024Jaylen Key, S, New York Jets Pick No. 257 College: Alabama
2023Desjuan Johnson, DE, Los Angeles Rams Pick No. 259 College: Toledo
2022Brock Purdy, QB, San Francisco 49ers Pick: No. 262 College: Iowa State
2021Grant Stuard, LB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers Pick: No. 259 College: Houston
2020Tae Crowder, LB, New York Giants Pick: No. 255 College: Georgia
2019Caleb Wilson, TE, Arizona Cardinals Pick: No. 254 College: UCLA
2018Trey Quinn, WR, Washington Pick: No. 256 College: SMU
2017Chad Kelly, QB, Denver Broncos Pick: No. 253 College: Ole Miss
2016Kalan Reed, CB, Tennessee Titans Pick: No. 253 College: Southern Miss
2015Gerald Christian, TE, Arizona Cardinals Pick: No. 256 College: Louisville
2014Lonnie Ballentine, S, Houston Texans Pick: No. 256 College: Memphis
2013Justice Cunningham, TE, Indianapolis Colts Pick: No. 254 College: South Carolina
2012Chandler Harnish, QB, Indianapolis Colts Pick: No. 253 College: Northern Illinois
2011Cheta Ozougwu, DE, Houston Texans Pick: No. 254 College: Rice
2010Tim Toone, WR, Detroit Lions Pick: No. 255 College: Weber State
2009Ryan Succop, K, Kansas City Chiefs Pick: No. 256 College: South Carolina
2008David Vobora, OLB, St. Louis Rams Pick: No. 252 College: Idaho
2007Ramzee Robinson, CB, Detroit Lions Pick: No. 255 College: Alabama
2006Kevin McMahan, WR, Oakland Raiders Pick: No. 255 College: Maine
2005Andy Stokes, TE, New England Patriots Pick: No. 255 College: William Penn
2004Andre Sommersell, LB, Oakland Raiders Pick: No. 255 College: Colorado State
2003Ryan Hoag, WR, Oakland Raiders Pick: No. 262 College: Gustavus Adolphus
2002Ahmad Miller, DT, Houston Texans Pick: No. 261 College: UNLV
2001Tevita Ofahengaue, TE, Arizona Cardinals Pick: No. 246 College: BYU
2000Michael Green, DB, Chicago Bears Pick: No. 254 College: Northwestern State
1999Jim Finn, FB, Chicago Bears Pick: No. 253 College: Pennsylvania
1998Cam Quayle, TE, Baltimore Ravens Pick: No. 241 College: Weber State
1997Ronnie McAda, QB, Green Bay Packers Pick: No. 240 College: Army
1996Sam Manuel, LB, San Francisco 49ers Pick: No. 254 College: New Mexico State
1995Michael Reed, DB, Carolina Panthers Pick: No. 249 College: Boston College
1994Marty Moore, LB, New England Patriots Pick: No. 222 College: Kentucky
1993Daron Alcorn, K, Tampa Bay Buccaneers Pick: No. 224 College: Akron
1992Matt Elliott, C, Washington Pick: No. 336 College: Michigan
1991Larry Wanke, QB, New York Giants Pick: No. 334 College: John Carroll
1990Demetrius Davis, TE, Los Angeles Raiders Pick: No. 331 College: Nevada
1989Everett Ross, WR, Minnesota Vikings Pick: No. 335 College: Ohio State
1988Jeff Beathard, WR, Los Angeles Rams Pick: No. 333 College: Southern Oregon
1987Norman Jefferson, DB, Green Bay Packers Pick: No. 335 College: LSU
1986Mike Travis, DB, San Diego Chargers Pick: No. 333 College: Georgia Tech
1985Donald Chumley, DT, San Francisco 49ers Pick: No. 336 College: Georgia
1984Randy Essington, QB, Los Angeles Raiders Pick: No. 336 College: Colorado
1983John Tuggle, RB, New York Giants Pick: No. 335 College: California
1982Tim Washington, DB, San Francisco 49ers Pick: No. 334 College: Fresno State
1981Phil Nelson, TE, Oakland Raiders Pick: No. 332 College: Delaware
1980Tyrone McGriff, G, Pittsburgh Steelers Pick: No. 333 College: Florida A&M
1979Mike Almond, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers Pick: No. 330 College: Northwestern State
1978Lee Washburn, G, Dallas Cowboys Pick: No. 334 College: Montana State
1977Jim Kelleher, RB, Minnesota Vikings Pick: No. 335 College: Colorado
1976Kelvin Kirk, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers Pick: No. 487 College: Dayton