When the 49ers play host to the Buccaneers this Sunday, they will additionally kick off one of the vital intriguing quarterback battles of Week 14. On one aspect: 45-year-old Tom Brady, essentially the most achieved signal-caller in NFL historical past, recent off a historic prime-time comeback win over the Saints. On the opposite: 22-year-old Brock Purdy, who simply changed Jimmy Garoppolo (who was, in flip, changing Trey Lance) and might be making his first profession begin as a rookie.
Purdy’s presence within the lineup is much more notable due to the place he was drafted this April: final. Literally. As the 262nd total choose rounding out the seventh spherical, Purdy is that this 12 months’s Mr. Irrelevant, a title bestowed upon the ultimate participant off the board. First coined in 1976 however technically documented for the reason that draft’s inception in 1936, the Mr. Irrelevant nickname has adopted dozens of NFL hopefuls over the many years.
With a powerful run because the 49ers QB, and possibly even a shock playoff run, Purdy has an opportunity to shortly grow to be one of many biggest Mr. Irrelevants to ever take the sector. And get this: probably the greatest to ever do it would even be on the sector for the 49ers sport Sunday, enjoying for the Buccaneers. Here’s a have a look at 5 of essentially the most related Mr. Irrelevants in NFL historical past:
5. Marty Moore (1994)
Drafted: No. 222 total | Team: Patriots | College: Kentucky
The first Mr. Irrelevant to win a Super Bowl, Moore spent eight seasons as a linebacker — seven with the Patriots, and one with the Browns. Though he solely made 19 profession begins, posting his finest numbers (90 tackles, 4 cross deflections, one INT) in Cleveland, he carved out a task on particular groups with the Pats, incomes jobs below Bill Parcells, Pete Carroll and Bill Belichick. Logging two picks in restricted snaps throughout Carroll’s first 12 months as head coach, he bought a hoop for the membership’s 2001 championship upset of the “Greatest Show on Turf” Rams.
4. Jim Finn (1999)
Drafted: No. 253 total | Team: Bears | College: Pennsylvania
Finn did not take a snap as a rookie, spending a part of his first 12 months on the Bears’ observe squad. After that, nevertheless, he clawed his means onto the Colts, who had been recent off a 13-3 breakout, and managed eight straight years as an energetic fullback. A dump-off possibility for Peyton Manning, sharing a backfield with Edgerrin James, he noticed his finest manufacturing alongside Peyton’s brother, Eli, with the Giants (2003-2007). In New York, Finn topped 100 receiving yards twice, helped block for All-Pro Tiki Barber, and bought a hoop when the G-Men upset the Patriots in Super Bowl XLII.
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3. Bill Fischer (1948)
Drafted: No. 300 total | Team: Cardinals | College: Notre Dame
An esteemed guard for College Football Hall of Fame coach Frank Leahy at Notre Dame, Fischer returned to highschool after the Cardinals drafted him following his junior 12 months, then formally kicked off his NFL profession a 12 months later, when the Cardinals drafted him once more — this time tenth total. The huge man began 48 video games over 5 seasons, primarily at left sort out, changing into the primary Mr. Irrelevant to earn a Pro Bowl nod (he completed with three). While additionally logging an occasional snap on protection, Fischer completed his transient however sterling profession with an interception and a whopping 10 fumble recoveries.
2. Jacque MacKinnon (1961)
Drafted: No. 280 total | Team: Eagles | College: Colgate
Like Fischer, he had an uncommon means of discovering Mr. Irrelevant stardom. Despite the Eagles taking him on the finish of the 1961 draft, the fullback/tight finish as a substitute fled for the West Coast, signing with the AFL’s San Diego Chargers. He spent the subsequent 9 years starring below Hall of Fame coach Sid Gillman, deployed as each a runner and receiver in two-tight finish units. An athletic risk forward of his time, MacKinnon totaled virtually 2,500 yards from scrimmage for his profession, notably logging 33 catches for 646 yards and 6 touchdowns at age 30, in 1968. The bruiser additionally spent a single season with the Raiders (1970), simply because the AFL merged with the NFL, leaving the sport having appeared in 4 totally different AFL championships, and profitable one.
Drafted: No. 256 total | Team: Chiefs | College: South Carolina
Of all of the Mr. Irrelevants, none have made such a constant impression over such an extended time period. One of solely two kickers chosen in 2009, Succop confirmed off his leg early, setting the Chiefs’ rookie document for discipline targets (25) and tying an NFL document for rookie field-goal proportion (86.2). After 5 years in Kansas City, he spent six with the Titans, 3 times eclipsing 100 factors on the 12 months. With the Buccaneers since 2020, he broke a franchise document for single-season factors (136) as a part of the membership’s Super Bowl championship staff. And at 36, he is nonetheless bought it, getting into Week 14 at present 24 of 27 on discipline targets for Tampa Bay. In his 14th season, he ranks within the prime 35 amongst all-time kickers in each factors (1,400+) and field-goal proportion (83.5%), forward of big-name Pro Bowlers like Mark Moseley, Neil Rackers and Billy Cundiff.
A have a look at each Mr. Irrelevant
Now that we have ranked the highest 5, here is a have a look at the historical past of Mr. Irrelevants for the reason that time period was first coined in 1976. Purdy, out of Iowa State, was taken in 2022 with 262nd choose by the 49ers.
2021259Grant StuardBuccaneersLBHouston2020255Tae CrowderGiantsLBGeorgia2019254Caleb WilsonCardinalsTEUCLA2018256Trey QuinnCommandersWRSMU2017253Chad KellyBroncosQBOle Miss2016253Kalan ReedTitansCBSouthern Miss2015256Gerald ChristianCardinalsTELouisville2014256Lonnie BallentineTexansSMemphis2013254Justice CunninghamColtsTESouth Carolina2012253Chandler HarnishColtsQBNIU2011254Cheta OzougwuTexansDERice2010255Tim TooneLionsWRWeber State2009256Ryan SuccopChiefsOkSouth Carolina2008252David VoboraRamsOLBIdaho2007255Ramzee RobinsonLionsCBAlabama2006255Kevin McMahanRaidersWRMaine2005255Andy StokesPatriotsTEWilliam Penn2004255Andre SommersellRaidersLBColorado State2003262Ryan HoagRaidersWRGustavus Adolphus2002261Ahmad MillerTexansDTUNLV2001246Tevita OfahengaueCardinalsTEBrigham Young2000254Michael InexperiencedBearsDBNorthwestern State1999253Jim FinnBearsRBPennsylvania1998241Cam QuayleRavensTEWeber State1997240Ronnie McAdaPackersQBArmy1996254Sam Manuel49ersLBNew Mexico State1995249Michael ReedPanthersDBBoston College1994222Marty MoorePatriotsLBKentucky1993224Daron AlcornBuccaneersKAkron1992336Matt ElliottCommandersCMichigan1991334Larry WankeGiantsQBJohn Carroll1990331Demetrius DavisRaidersTENevada1989335Everett RossVikingsWROhio State1988333Jeff BeathardRamsWRSouthern Oregon1987335Norman JeffersonPackersDBLSU1986333Mike TravisChargersDBGeorgia Tech1985336Donald Chumley49ersDTGeorgia1984336Randy EssingtonRaidersQBColorado1983335John TuggleGiantsRBCalifornia1982334Tim Washington49ersDBFresno State1981332Phil NelsonRaidersTEDelaware1980333Tyrone McGriffSteelersGFlorida A&M1979330Mike AlmondSteelersWRNorthwestern State1978334Lee WashburnCowboysGMontana State1977335Jim KelleherVikingsRBColorado1976487Kelvin KirkSteelersWRDayton
