Mr. Irrelevants from the past 30 years of the NFL Draft

The Los Angeles Rams selected Desjuan Johnson out of Toledo with the final selection of the 2023 draft. A fifth-year senior, Johnson was described by a rival coach as the " Aaron Donald of the MAC." Lofty praise for sure, but Johnson will get to learn from the actual Aaron Donald and the Rams hope some of Donald's all-world talent rubs off on pick No. 259.

Ryan Succop and Bill Kenney have Purdy beat for longevity, but for sheer impact, what 2022's No. 262 overall pick has provided the 49ers will be close to impossible for future Mr. Irrelevants to eclipse. Winning the third-string job out of training camp, Purdy became the final man standing by December after Jimmy Garoppolo's latest major injury. The Iowa State product dinged for his size and lack of arm strength has enhanced the 49ers' capabilities, grasping Kyle Shanahan's complex system and spraying passes to the team's All-Pro skill-position armada. Piloting the 49ers to the NFC championship game, Purdy has been such a revelation he is already favored to start over former No. 3 overall pick Trey Lance next season.

While a few tiers down from Purdy, Stuard has managed to see frequent game action despite being chosen 259th. The defending champion Buccaneers chose Stuard, a linebacker out of Houston, and used him as a special-teamer in all 19 of their games in 2021. Stuard made 17 tackles and forced a fumble and became the rare Mr. Irrelevant to wind up in a trade. The Colts acquired Stuard -- in a pick-swap deal that sent Stuard and a 2023 seventh-rounder to the Bucs for a 2023 sixth -- just before the 2022 season and had similar designs for him. Stuard saw action on 67% of the Colts' special teams plays

The 2020s have produced ready-to-go draft-enders. Two years before Purdy, Crowder became a quick starter for the Giants, who closed the virtual draft by selecting him 255th. A linebacker out of Georgia, Crowder started six games as a rookie and was a 17-game starter in 2021. Crowder led the '21 Giants in tackles -- by a wide margin -- with 130, intercepting two passes and deflecting six more. The early run in New York did stem from the Giants being light at the linebacker spot; the team lost well-paid cog Blake Martinez to an ACL tear early during the '21 season. Pro Football Focus has not been a Crowder fan, but the Giants have gotten high mileage from a Mr. Irrelevant.

Kliff Kingsbury's offense barely had room for veteran tight ends, let alone Mr. Irrelevants. A UCLA product that the Cardinals took at No. 254 overall, Wilson was the rare Mr. Irrelevant to leave school early. He had his reasons. Wilson's 965 receiving yards were a Division I-FBS-best mark for tight ends in 2018, but he was the last of 16 tight ends taken last year. Arizona stashed Wilson on their practice squad, but tight end-needy Washington pried him away in December. Wilson has not seen much game action, playing in just five career games, and has since bounced to the Eagles and Broncos.

Quinn teamed with Courtland Sutton as part of a talented SMU receiving corps in 2017. The LSU transfer finished with 1,236 yards and 13 TDs in his only Mustangs season. An injury derailed Quinn's NFL rookie year. Washington, which drafted him at No. 256, showed interest in the slot target's development by activating him from IR in midseason. Quinn made two 2018 starts and showed promise in a three-game audition. In 2019, he caught 26 passes for 198 yards and a touchdown. The slot player has not seen game action since 2020 and bounced to the Raiders and Broncos over the past two seasons.

Perhaps the highest-profile college player taken last, the one-time Clemson recruit saw the Broncos take a flier on him at No. 253. Once viewed as a coveted QB prospect while at Ole Miss — particularly in a 4,000-yard, 31-touchdown junior season in 2015 — Kelly's stock plummeted ahead of the draft. After essentially an injury-redshirt rookie year, Kelly beat out Paxton Lynch for Denver's 2018 backup job. But a strange arrest following Von Miller's Halloween party later that year led Jim Kelly's nephew out of Denver. He resurfaced in the CFL in 2022, serving as a backup. But he came off the bench to secure the Toronto Argonauts a Grey Cup title. 

The Titans originally drafted Reed out of Southern Miss, where he finished his career with three defensive touchdowns (two in a four-INT senior year). Reed played in both of the 2017 Titans playoff games but wound up in Seattle in 2018. However, he suffered a serious neck injury during the Seahawks' 2019 training camp. The severity of the injury put Reed at significant risk if he played again, and the young defender's career indeed ended as a result.

Tight end has been a common Mr. Irrelevant job; seven received the Newport Beach red carpet treatment from 1990-2019. Like many other players on this list, Christian enjoyed barely a cup of coffee as an NFLer. The Cardinals took Christian with the 256th pick, with past Mr. Irrelevant (and good sport) Chandler Harnish announcing the selection, but used him in just three games. Christian, who transferred from Florida to Louisville, did receive a lifeline in 2019. With the Arizona Hotshots of the disbanded Alliance of American Football, he caught 14 passes — one of them going for his first and only professional touchdown.

The AFC South made four straight Mr. Irrelevant picks in the early part of the 2010s, with the Texans wrapping up the stretch with their second in this span. A safety out of Memphis, Ballentine did manage to make Houston's 2014 roster, but he saw action in only four games during what turned out to be a three-year career. Injuries, resulting in multiple IR stays, brought an early end to Ballentine's NFL run. The Texans waived him for good in 2017. 

Cunningham did not boast especially impressive college stats, topping out at 23 catches for 324 yards as a senior tight end at South Carolina. But the Colts, owners of the Mr. Irrelevant pick again, made the ex-Gamecock the 254th overall pick in 2013. Cunningham spent four years, on and off, with the Colts and Rams but saw action in only two games. He made one catch for 4 yards as a rookie; that was his only grab as an NFLer. Such is life for this draft slot.

Harnish put together a dominant senior season at Northern Illinois, accounting for 4,505 yards and 39 touchdowns. The four-year Huskies starter blazed for 1,379 rushing yards in 2011, catching the attention of the Colts. Indianapolis made Harnish the 253rd overall pick, and the player with one Division I-FBS scholarship offer hung around through the 2015 offseason. Typical for Mr. Irrelevants, Harnish did not see game time. Matt Hasselbeck was then Andrew Luck's backup. But Harnish, who ended his career as a Cardinals camp body, enjoyed stints on Indianapolis' and Minnesota's active rosters.

A Rice product who made 198 tackles and 11 sacks in four seasons as an Owls defensive lineman, Ozougwu made some cameos in the NFL. The Texans used 2011's final pick (No. 254) on the Houston native, but he did not make his NFL debut until 2012 with the Bears. Ozougwu made the Bears' game-day roster nine times between 2012-13, registering one sack and forcing a fumble. Unfortunately for Ozougwu, he could not parlay this into a longer-term gig.

The second Weber State pass catcher to land in the Mr. Irrelevant slot, Toone went to the Lions at No. 255. After a 10-touchdown senior season at the Utah school, Toone did not make Detroit's roster. This became a pattern in his early-2010s summers. Several teams carried Toone on their practice squads or expanded offseason rosters. The 5-foot-10 wide receiver subsequently spent time with the Bills, Broncos, Falcons and Saints through the 2013 offseason. 

Since the NFL introduced Mr. Irrelevant festivities in 1976, the two pre-Purdy players who became the most relevant: Succop and former Chiefs quarterback Bill Kenney. The latter was Kansas City's starting QB for much of the 1980s, making one Pro Bowl. The Chiefs drafted Succop 256th overall, and he has been a regular kicker for 14 years — five in Kansas City, six in Tennessee and three in Tampa. Succop has inked two notable extensions as a pro and stabilized the Buccaneers' kicker situation. Released by the Titans in 2020, Succop joined some other notable Bucs acquisitions that year and made 90% of his field goals for a Super Bowl-winning team.

The Rams of the late 2000s deployed some sneaky-awful teams, going 3-29 between 2008-09. Vobora caught on during this point, 2008's 255th pick becoming a part-time starter in three seasons as a St. Louis linebacker. An Idaho alum, Vobora entered the NFL with some momentum. He spent a night at the Playboy mansion, dining with Hugh Hefner and some "Playmates." This likely made the Lowsman Trophy presentation far more tolerable. Vobora made 10 starts during the Rams' 1-15 season in 2009 and finished his career with Seattle two years later.

Unlike teams in the years leading up to the 2007 draft, the Lions made their Mr. Irrelevant pick a player from a proven program. A two-year Alabama contributor, Robinson managed to see some action in Detroit. The Lions toggled the cornerback between their active roster and practice squad but gave Robinson playing time in 2008. Unfortunately, that was the Lions' 0-16 season. Robinson, flagged for taunting James Jones in the game that cemented Detroit's status as the first-ever 0-16 team, received scrutiny during the final loss. He played his final games in 2009. 

Suffering the fate of many Mr. Irrelevants, McMahan was not able to venture onto an NFL active roster. The Raiders chose the Maine wide receiver prospect with the 255th pick 13 years ago, doing so after McMahan snared 13 touchdown passes as a college senior. While the Raiders' 2006 season went historically poorly — a 2-14 record resulting in Art Shell's second stint ending after one year — McMahan was not able to make the team out of camp. He hung around the NFL until the 2008 offseason, however, before the Chiefs cut him prior to the regular season.

Three months after their third Super Bowl win, the Patriots finished off a draft by taking a tight end from a small school in Iowa with the 255th pick. Coming out of Division III William Penn, Stokes did not earn a spot on the Patriots roster. He did catch on with the Cardinals practice squad but did not impress enough to be part of their 2006 team. The Utah native now coaches high school football in Provo.

A Raiders choice out of Colorado State, Sommersell did not last long in the NFL. The linebacker (2004's 255th pick) received chances with the Raiders and Colts but could not forge his way onto a 53-man roster. But he continued his playing career in an interesting setting, becoming a player-coach in the Emirates American Football League. Sommersell coached and played with the Dubai Stallions for a few years, taking his career to a place foreign to most football fans.

A wide receiver out of Division III Gustavus Adolphus (Minnesota), Hoag did not see any regular-season NFL action. But he managed to keep his professional football career going through the end of the decade. Hoag, who amassed more than 2,000 receiving yards at the small college, arrived in the NFL as a Raiders draft choice and earned opportunities with Jacksonville, Minnesota and Washington, extending his run on offseason rosters or practice squads through the Jaguars' 2008 training camp. Hoag, who also appeared on a season of "The Bachelorette," also played in the CFL, NFL Europe and the United Football League. 

A veteran of three colleges — two JUCO programs and UNLV — Miller made his way into the 2002 draft as its 261st pick. The defensive tackle landed with the NFL's most recent expansion team, but the Texans did not see enough to keep Miller around after their preseason slate. After being waived, Miller found a spot with the Giants. But an injury during one of New York's preseason contests ended Miller's career.

Ofahengaue's legacy stems more from one offseason event than his NFL career. Each year, the Mr. Irrelevants travel to Newport Beach, California, for Irrelevant Week. When the Tongan tight end out of BYU ventured west for the festivities 18 years ago, he brought 63 family members. With this causing some logistical issues, Irrelevant Week soon included the Ofahengaue Rule. Draft choices were henceforth allowed only one guest. Ofahengaue stuck around with the Cardinals and Jaguars practice squads but never saw any game action.

Another Mr. Irrelevant Hall of Famer, Green enjoyed a nine-year NFL career. The 254th pick in 2000 emerged from Division I-FCS Northwestern State (Louisiana) and became a sporadic starter for the Bears. Green served as Chicago's primary strong safety from 2002-04, surpassing 100 tackles in two of those seasons. Green also played for the NFC North champion Bears squad in 2005. That team finished as the league's top scoring defense. He finished his career with stints on the Seahawks and Washington.

We come to another Mr. Irrelevant trailblazer. Finn logged an eight-year career after the Bears chose the fullback out of Penn at No. 253; he spent his career with the Colts and Giants. In all but one of his NFL seasons, he played on a Manning-directed offense. A prolific rusher with the Quakers, Finn played mostly special teams with Peyton Manning's Colts before a free agent deal with the Giants led to him becoming Tiki Barber's lead blocker. Finn blocked for Barber and Eli Manning for four seasons. He was part of the 2007 Giants Super Bowl-winning team but spent the year on injured reserve.

In the Ravens' third year, they made the draft's final pick — a tight end out of Weber State. Quayle did well at the Division I-FCS level, catching 149 passes and 10 touchdowns. This did not lead the 241st pick to a roster spot in Baltimore, however. Quayle caught on with the Jaguars, who allocated him to the Barcelona Dragons of NFL Europe. A neck injury ended Quayle's career in his first Barcelona season.

Army's football program dates back to the 1890s. Although it won national championships in the 1940s, its first 10-win season came in 1996. McAda quarterbacked the Bob Sutton-coached team to the Independence Bowl and wound up as a Packers Mr. Irrelevant pick (No. 240). Former Green Bay GM Ron Wolf famously liked to draft quarterbacks, having taken eight — including Mark Brunell, Matt Hasselbeck and Aaron Brooks — during his 13-year tenure. Like two other Wolf QB picks, McAda never saw any regular-season time, which was hard to come by during Brett Favre's run.

At the end of their Terrell Owens draft, the 49ers made an interesting decision. They drafted twin brothers in the seventh round, with Sean and Sam Manuel joining the team 15 picks apart. Chosen 254th, Sam was Mr. Irrelevant. Unlike his tight end brother, who lasted a season in San Francisco, the New Mexico State linebacker product did not make the 49ers. He resurfaced as an XFL player in 2001 though. Regardless of the Manuels' short stints in pro football, this remains a unique chapter in seventh-round history.

Reed joined Matt Elliott on the expansion Panthers, who deployed a two-Mr. Irrelevant roster that year. But the defensive back did not last long. Chosen 249th, the Boston College alum played only three NFL games but has become a well-known coach. Both of the recent Clemson national championship teams featured Reed operating as Dabo Swinney's cornerbacks coach. A Tom Coughlin pupil at BC, Reed coached against him in the pros. He served as a lower-level Eagles assistant for five years, which included Philadelphia's 2004 Super Bowl squad, before pivoting to the college ranks. Reed has been on Swinney's staff since 2013.

Another Mr. Irrelevant to see extensive playing time, Moore enjoyed an eight-year career and collected a Super Bowl ring. In Bill Parcells' second season with the Patriots, the team selected a linebacker out of Kentucky with the No. 222 overall pick in the first seven-round draft. The Pats acquired the pick by trading former starting quarterback Hugh Millen to the Cowboys. Moore became a longtime depth player in New England and played in Super Bowl XXXI. After making a career-high nine starts with the 2000 Browns, Moore returned to the Patriots and ended his career on their 2001 Super Bowl champion team.