Who is 2022 NFL Draft's Mr. Irrelevant? All you need to know about the last pick's history
The NFL Draft is now over. All the picks have been made and the last player to be chosen with the 262th pick is quarterback Brock Purdy of Iowa State. The San Franisco 49ers made the pick. Purdy is the only Cyclone quarterback to beat each of the teams in the BIG 12. He finished his Iowa State career with 32 outright or shared school records.
Incidentally, this wasn't the first time the 49ers made the pick for Mr. Irrelevant. The last time the #49ers selected Mr. Irrelevant was 1996: LB Sam Manuel. Earlier in the seventh round that year, the 49ers drafted his twin brother, Sean Manuel.
Last season's Mr. Irrelevant was Buccaneers' Grant Stuard. The Houston linebacker with was drafted with the 259th overall pick. While being the last pick is often seen as a sign of a player's quality, there have been plenty of good players over the years who have entered the league with the tag of "Mr. Irrelevant." Ryan Succop, Tae Crowder, and David Vobora are just some to name a few.
History of the NFL's infamous Mr. Irrelevant
Mr. Irrelevant is the nickname given each year to the last pick of the annual league Draft. And interestingly, there's a bit of history to it.
Mr. Irrelevant really rose to prominence back in 1976, when former NFL wideout Paul Salata founded an event in Newport Beach, California. Salata would announce the last pick and later the player and his family are invited to spend a week at Newport Beach.
The trip also includes a trip to Disneyland and a gold tournament alongside the the Lowsman Trophy, a trophy which mimics the Heisman, but instead has a player fumbling a football.
The last pick in the #NFLDraft is always special. But where did Mr. Irrelevant originate? Let @KyleBrandt explain. 💯 https://t.co/KWrhobHZck
Since 2014, Salata's daughter has taken over the responsibility to keep the tradition running.