The NFL Draft took place this weekend and the Jaguars have set their sights on defensive end Travon Walker.
This selection, in addition to those of the first round and the quarterbacks who slipped on the board, it was the discussions of the repechage. There were transactions too, but otherwise, we are looking for stories everywhere.
We are on the side of the last choice that we are heading because the one we affectionately nicknamed “Mr. Irrelevant” has a special relationship with the NFL.
Sometimes it’s a stroke of genius. Let us think in particular of kicker Ryan Succop in 2009. Last of his vintage, he had a good career in the NFL. Tae Crowder, the final pick in 2020, has quickly become a starter for the Giants. It’s a fantastic production for this position.
While some teams have had a lucky hand with the last pick, it’s never happened that a quarterback is positioned behind center after being the last pick in a draft.
“Mr. Irrelevant” 2022 will have the chance to break this trend.
Brock Purdy in the face of history
The 2022 Mr. Irrelevant is…. Brock Purdy. ????@brockpurdy13 | @49ers pic.twitter.com/pu9tmMexKD
— NFL (@NFL) April 30, 2022
With the 262nd pick in the 2022 draft, the 49ers selected IOWA State quarterback Brock Purdy.
It was ESPN analyst Rece Davis who brought up the statistic that not every quarterback selected with the last pick has ever had a chance to throw a touchdown pass in the NFL.
The list is still slim.
George Haffner (1965)
Randy Essington (1984)
Larry Wanke (1991)
Ronnie McAda (1997)
Chandler Harnish (2012)
Chad Kelly (2017)
Purdy, he is not bitten even if all the teams skipped their turn with him.
He made the All Big-12 team twice and last season threw for nearly 3,200 yards for 19 touchdowns. It holds up in a fairly strong division of the NCAA.
In all, 9 quarterbacks heard their name this year during the draft. What doesn’t help Purdy is that he finds himself behind Trey Lance who represents the future at the position with the Niners.
But maybe he could come into the conversation to be a reserve sooner rather than later and break the streak of phantom quarterbacks in the NFL Draft.
At least he will always be the “Mr. Irrelevant” of his cuvée.
