Mr. Irrelevant: Highlighting Gerald Christian and Other Notable Mr. Irrelevants

I think it’s safe to say that anything celebrating its 40th anniversary has to be relevant…unless, of course, you have been dubbed Mr. Irrelevant.

Dating back to 1976, the final pick in the NFL draft each year has earned that moniker. It comes complete with a parade and a week’s worth of celebration.

First, here is a little history: The first Mr. Irrelevant was wide receiver Kelvin Kirk, chosen by the then-defending Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers with the 487th selection in 1976. That was also the debut year for the expansion Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Seattle Seahawks and the final year of the 17-round draft—reduced to 12 rounds in 1977.

Just in case you are wondering how last year’s honoree fared, Houston Texans safety Lonnie Ballantine (the 256th and final selection in the 2014 draft) spent all of this past season on injured reserve. With a big showing this fall, he could be in a piece list like this in the not-too-distant future.

So congratulations to University of Louisville tight end Gerald Christian, taken by the Arizona Cardinals with the 256th selection Saturday afternoon in the great city of Chicago. Here is a look at the former Cardinals player (turned Cardinals player) and eight more very memorable Mr. Irrevelants over the years—including one very stirring story that will show just how relevant life truly is.

TE Gerald Christian (2015): Arizona Cardinals

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Round and Overall Selection: 7 (256)

School: Louisville

At least tight end Gerald Christian’s new helmet will kind of have a familiar look to it.

The Arizona Cardinals made the former University of Louisville standout the 256th and final selection in the NFL’s 80th draft. Christian also becomes the 40th Mr. Irrelevant, a tradition that began in 1976 as we have already documented.

The 6’3”, 244-pound performer spent the last two seasons at Louisville after sitting out the 2012 campaign following his transfer from the University of Florida. Christian caught four passes for 72 yards and one score in seven games with the Gators in 2011. In two seasons and 26 contests with the Louisville Cardinals, he hauled in 60 catches for 810 yards and nine touchdowns.

Now let’s see how many years he winds up with the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals, who currently have another Mr. Irrelevant on the roster in quarterback Chandler Harnish, the last selection (253rd overall) by the Indianapolis Colts in the 2012 NFL draft.

PK Ryan Succop (2009): Kansas City Chiefs

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Round and Overall Selection: 7 (256)

School: South Carolina

Revenge, of sorts, is always relevant.

Five years ago, the Kansas City Chiefs selected University of South Carolina place-kicker Ryan Succop with the final pick in the 2009 draft.

In five seasons with the Chiefs, the specialist connected on all 160 point-after-touchdown (PAT) attempts and converted 81 percent (119-of-147) of his field-goal attempts. In 2013, Succop scored a career-high 118 points for Andy Reid’s club, which finished 11-5 and went onto the playoffs.

But eight days before the 2014 season opener against the Tennessee Titans at Arrowhead Stadium, the Chiefs released Succop. Two days later, he inked a one-year deal with Ken Whisenhunt’s club, and on the ensuing Sunday, he scored 14 points for his new team—connecting on a pair of PATs and four field goals in the Titans' 26-10 road victory.

Succop connected on all 27 PATs and converted 19 of 22 field-goal attempts this past season. Per Spotrac, the Titans re-signed him to a three-year, $7.2 million deal in mid-March.

LB David Vobora (2008): St. Louis Rams

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Round and Overall Selection: 7 (252)

School: Idaho

The fact that any of these players selected last in the draft wind up not only making the team but having decent NFL careers is certainly something to applaud.

University of Idaho linebacker David Vobora was the final choice in the 2008 draft. He played in eight games as a rookie and made one start. One year later, Vobora started 10 games and totaled 47 stops for the Rams. In 2010, he amassed 36 tackles and two sacks in 14 games for the team.

Vobora’s NFL career would last one more season when he suited up for the Seattle Seahawks for six games in 2011.

S Michael Green (2000): Chicago Bears

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Round and Overall Selection: 7 (254)

School: Northwestern State (LA)

The final selection in the 2000 NFL draft lasted for eight seasons in the league.

Safety Michael Green played in a combined 104 regular-season contests for the Chicago Bears, Seattle Seahawks and Washington Redskins. He made 48 career starts, including 16 starts in both 2002 and 2004 with the Bears, while rolling up some very respectable numbers.

Green’s NFL resume included six sacks, four interceptions and seven forced fumbles. He was part of a Chicago draft class that saw the team select linebacker Brian Urlacher and safety Mike Brown in the first two rounds, respectively.

RB Jim Finn (1999): Chicago Bears

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Round and Overall Selection: 7 (253)

School: Pennsylvania

When it comes to running back Jim Finn, there’s one number that stands out more than most.

No, it’s not being the 253rd selection in the 1999 NFL draft (by the Chicago Bears), and it’s not his 453 total yards from scrimmage in seven seasons with the Indianapolis Colts and New York Giants.

The former Ivy League product played in 106 games and made 45 starts, most of those at fullback where he did the blocking and the grunt work so others could get the glory…and rushing yards.

It is worth noting that Finn ran for only 30 yards on 11 carries during his career, while 423 of his scrimmage yards and his lone NFL touchdown came on 60 receptions.

LB Marty Moore (1994): New England Patriots

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Round and Overall Selection: 7 (222)

School: Kentucky

In 1994, the NFL draft was reduced to seven rounds, which remains the current format. It was also the year before the Carolina Panthers and Jacksonville Jaguars took the field for the first time, meaning there were only 28 teams in the league at the time.

There were also only 222 selections in the draft that year, and the final pick was University of Kentucky linebacker Marty Moore, taken by head coach Bill Parcells and the New England Patriots.

It would be a pretty wise decision. Moore lasted in the league for eight seasons, seven of those in New England, playing in 112 games and making 19 starts along the way.

He also suited up in 1996 for Parcells’ Patriots in Super Bowl XXXI against the Green Bay Packers.

C Matt Elliott (1992): Washington Redskins

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Round and Overall Selection: 12 (336)

School: Michigan

It was 23 years ago that the Washington Redskins owned the title of defending Super Bowl champions, with Hall of Fame head coach Joe Gibbs leading the club to a 37-24 triumph over the Buffalo Bills in Minneapolis.

With that came the final pick in the 1992 draft, and the Redskins used it on University of Michigan center Matt Elliott, who wound up playing in all 16 games as a rookie, earning a pair of starts.

In 1995, the former Wolverine reemerged in the league, this time with the expansion Carolina Panthers. He started a total of 32 contests at guard and center in a three-year span, wrapping up his NFL career in 1997.

What made Elliott a very unique Mr. Irrelevant was the fact that the 1992 draft was the last in the 12-round format. In 1993, the draft was reduced to eight rounds and since 1994, it has been a seven-round event.

RB John Tuggle (1983): New York Giants

Round and Overall Selection: 12 (335)

School: California

Bill Parcells is the only head coach in NFL history to lead four different franchises (New York Giants, New England Patriots, New York Jets and Dallas Cowboys) to the playoffs. The Pro Football Hall of Famer won a pair of Lombardi Trophies with the Giants and led the Pats to Super Bowl XXXI.

In his first season as the sideline leader for the G-Men, he coached a running back named John Tuggle, the final selection in the 1983 NFL draft. That year, the rookie totaled 99 yards from scrimmage and a score, plus he added 156 yards on nine kickoff returns.

While his impact for a 3-12-1 team that season was minimal, the impression he would eventually make on the storied coach has lasted to this day. Parcells recalls Tuggle and his days with the team in this memorable piece, courtesy of ESPN Films.

QB Bill Kenney (1978): Miami Dolphins

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Round and Overall Selection: 12 (333)

School: Northern Colorado

We have already explained that Mr. Irrelevant is the last pick in the NFL draft each year.

Maybe…

In 1978, the then-defending Super Bowl champion Dallas Cowboys selected Montana State University guard Lee Washburn the 334th and final pick in the draft. But the former Bobcat failed to answer the bell when it came to attending training camp due to injury and was released by Dallas.

Enter quarterback Bill Kenney, the 333rd pick in the draft by the Miami Dolphins. The University of Northern Colorado quarterback earned the title of Mr. Irrelevant that year and all the benefits that went with it.

In 1979, Kenney joined the Kansas City Chiefs, and while he didn’t see any action that first year, he would go on to start 77 games over the next nine seasons, earning a Pro Bowl invitation in 1983 and leading the team to the playoffs in 1986.

Kenney finished his NFL career with 17,277 yards through the air and 105 touchdown passes compared to only 86 interceptions.

Statistical support for this piece was provided by Pro-Football-Reference.com, Sports-Reference.com, NFL.com, ESPN.com and the Pro Football Hall of Fame.