Mr. Irrelevant

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"Mr. Irrelevant" is the tongue-in-cheek title bestowed each year upon the last pick of the annual National Football League draft.

The name arose in 1976, when former Southern California and NFL receiver Paul Salata founded "Irrelevant Week" in Newport Beach, California. During the summer after the NFL draft, the current Mr. Irrelevant and his family are invited to spend a weekend in Newport, where they are treated to, among other things, a roast giving advice to the new draftee and a ceremony awarding him the aptly named Lowsman Trophy. Salata makes an appearance at the final day of the NFL Draft to announce the final draft pick, which he has done for several years.

Several players who have been presented with this dubious honor have nevertheless succeeded in making the team that drafted them, with significant contributions on the field. Bill Kenney, who won the 1978 Mr. Irrelevant award under special circumstances (see below), was even honored with an invitation to the Pro Bowl in 1983. Special-teams player Marty Moore became the first Mr. Irrelevant to play in a Super Bowl, with the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XXXI. Jim Finn was the starting fullback for the New York Giants. Mike Green has been a starting safety for the Bears and backup for the Seahawks, and is currently a backup for the Redskins.

One "Mr. Irrelevant" (who actually predated the award by nearly a decade) went on to a productive professional career in another sport. Jimmy Walker was the final pick in 1967 despite never having played college football. His main sport, however, was basketball, in which he was a consensus All-American and the nation's leading scorer as a senior at Providence. Walker was the first overall pick in the 1967 NBA Draft, and logically opted for a career in the NBA.[1]

Contents

[edit] The Lowsman Trophy

The Lowsman Trophy is awarded annually to the last player selected in the NFL draft. It is a parody of the Heisman Trophy, awarded to the outstanding college American football player of the year. The Lowsman Trophy itself mimics the Heisman, but depicts a football player fumbling a football.

The award ceremony is part of Irrelevant Week, an annual week-long celebration in Newport Beach, California. The award was created in 1976 by Paul Salata, a former college player and self-confessed "fan of the underdog" and has been held on an annual basis ever since. Other events of Irrelevant Week include a golf tournament, a regatta and a sports banquet. The recipient of the Lowsman Trophy is designated "Mr. Irrelevant."

Many Mr. Irrelevants have turned up to collect their trophy, and to be feted for the week as the focus of the celebration.

The first Mr. Irrelevant was Kelvin Kirk, picked number 487 of the 1976 draft. The most recent Mr. Irrelevant was kicker Ryan Succop of the University of South Carolina, pick number 256 of the 2009 draft. He was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs.

[edit] Mr. Irrelevant winners and other final selections

Year Round Pick Player Name Team Position College
2009 7 47 256 Ryan Succop Chiefs K South Carolina
2008 7 45 252 David Vobora Rams OLB Idaho
2007 7 45 255 Ramzee Robinson Lions CB Alabama
2006 7 47 255 Kevin McMahan Raiders WR Maine
2005 7 41 255 Andy Stokes Patriots TE William Penn
2004 7 54 255 Andre Sommersell Raiders LB Colorado State
2003 7 48 262 Ryan Hoag Raiders WR Gustavus Adolphus
2002 7 50 261 Ahmad Miller Texans DT UNLV
2001 7 46 246 Tevita Ofahengaue Cardinals TE Brigham Young
2000 7 48 254 Michael Green Bears DB Northwestern State
1999 7 47 253 Jim Finn Bears RB Pennsylvania
1998 7 52 241 Cam Quayle Ravens TE Weber State
1997 7 39 240 Ronnie McAda Packers QB Army
1996 7 45 254 Sam Manuel 49ers LB New Mexico State
1995 7 41 249 Michael Reed Panthers DB Boston College
1994 7 28 222 Marty Moore Patriots LB Kentucky
1993 8 28 224 Daron Alcorn Buccaneers K Akron
1992 12 28 336 Matt Elliott Redskins C Michigan
1991 12 28 334 Larry Wanke Giants QB John Carroll
1990 12 27 331 Demetrius Davis Raiders TE Nevada
1989 12 28 335 Everett Ross Vikings WR Ohio State
1988 12 28 333 Jeff Beathard Rams WR Southern Oregon
1987 12 28 335 Norman Jefferson Packers DB LSU
1986 12 28 333 Mike Travis Chargers DB Georgia Tech
1985 12 28 336 Donald Chumley 49ers DT Georgia
1984 12 28 336 Randy Essington Raiders QB Colorado
1983 12 28 335 John Tuggle Giants RB California
1982 12 28 334 Tim Washington 49ers DB Fresno State
1981 12 28 332 Phil Nelson Raiders TE Delaware
1980* 12 28 332 Kevin Scanlon Rams QB Arkansas
1980[2] 12 28 333 Tyrone McGriff Steelers G Florida A&M
1979 12 27 330 Mike Almond Steelers WR Northwestern State
1978* 12 27 333 Bill Kenney Dolphins QB Northern Colorado
1978[3] 12 28 334 Lee Washburn Cowboys G Montana State
1977 12 27 335 Jim Kelleher Vikings RB Colorado
1976 17 28 487 Kelvin Kirk Steelers WR Dayton
1975 17 26 442 Stan Hegener Steelers G Nebraska
1974 17 26 442 Ken Dickerson Dolphins DB Tuskegee
1973 17 26 442 Charles Wade Dolphins WR Tennessee State
1972 17 26 442 Alphonso Cain Cowboys DT Bethune-Cookman
1971 17 26 442 Charles Hill Raiders WR Sam Houston State
1970 17 26 442 Rayford Jenkins Chiefs DB Alcorn A&M
1969 17 26 442 Fred Zirkie Jets DT Duke
1968 17 27 462 Jimmy Smith Bengals TE Jackson State
1967 17 26 445 Jimmy Walker Saints WR Providence
1966 20 15 305 Tom Carr Colts T Morgan State
1965 20 14 280 George Haffner Colts QB McNeese State
1964 20 14 280 Dick Niglio Bears RB Yale
1963 20 14 280 Bobby Brezina Packers B Houston
1962 20 14 280 Mike Snodgrass Packers C Western Michigan
1961 20 14 280 Jacque MacKinnon Eagles B Colgate
1960 20 12 240 Bill Gorman Giants T McMurry
1959 30 12 360 Blair Weese Colts B West Virginia Tech
1958 30 11 360 Tommy Bronson Lions B Tennessee
1957 30 11 360 Don Gest Giants E Washington State
1956 30 11 360 Bob Bartholomew Browns T Wake Forest
1955 30 11 360 Lamar Leachman Browns C Tennessee
1954 30 11 360 Ellis Horton Lions B Eureka (IL)
1953 30 11 360 Hal Maus Lions E Montana
1952 30 11 360 John Saban Browns B Xavier
1951 30 11 362 Sisto Averno Browns G Muhlenberg
1950 30 13 391 Dud Parker Eagles B Baylor
1949 25 10 251 John (Bull) Schweder Eagles G Pennsylvania
1948 32 7 300 Bill Fischer Cardinals G Notre Dame
1947 32 7 300 Don Clayton Giants B North Carolina
1946 32 5 300 John West Rams B Oklahoma
1945 32 6 330 Billy Joe Aldridge Packers B Oklahoma A&M
1944 32 6 330 Walton Roberts Yanks B Texas
1943 32 5 300 Bo Bogovich Redskins G Delaware
1942 22 5 200 Stu Clarkson Bears C Texas A&I
1941 22 2 204 Mort Landsberg Steelers B Cornell
1940 22 5 200 Myron Claxton Giants T Whittier
1939 22 5 200 Jack Rhodes Giants G Texas
1938 12 10 110 Ferd Dreher Bears E Denver
1937 10 10 100 Solon Holt Rams G TCU
1936 9 9 81 Phil Flanagan Giants G Holy Cross

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ May, Peter (2007-07-03). "Providence hoops legend Jimmy Walker dies at 63". The Boston Globe. http://www.boston.com/sports/colleges/mens_basketball/articles/2007/07/03/providence_hoops_legend_jimmy_walker_dies_at_63/?p1=MEWell_Pos4. Retrieved on 2007-08-08. 
  2. ^ There were two awardees, as Scanlon chose to play in the Canadian Football League and McGriff was named as a replacement.
  3. ^ Two Mr. Irrelevants resulted because original selection Washburn could not attend training camp because of a back injury. Kenney was named as a replacement as a result.

[edit] External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr._Irrelevant#The_Lowsman_Trophy"
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