NFL's Latest Mr. Irrelevant: ‘Just Fuel to My Fire'
Thanks to San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy, the title of Mr. Irrelevant has taken on more relevancy as the unheralded yet heralded final pick of the NFL Draft.
Purdy, the final pick in 2022, became a Super Bowl quarterback for the 49ers in just two seasons. This year's Mr. Irrelevant, cornerback Kobee Minor, joins the team that has reached more Super Bowls than any franchise.
The New England Patriots selected the former Memphis standout with the 275th and final selection of the draft on Saturday in Green Bay. Minor played for three different programs between 2020 and 2024 as he tallied 80 tackles, two forced fumbles, two sacks, and 12 pass deflections.
Yes, a cornerback without a collegiate interception is an NFL draft pick. The rarity of that is arguably on par with Purdy going from Mr. Irrelevant to Super Bowl starter.
For Minor, he fully embraces the Mr. Irrelevant title already. He also admitted he hasn't ever been 'a highly recruited guy' before.
'I love it, actually. It's just fuel to my fire,' Minor
Related Stories
4/26/2025
4/26/2025
Minor became a three-star recruit at Lake Dallas High School in Texas, and he joined Texas Tech in 2020 where he mostly played special teams for three seasons. Looking for more playing time, he entered the transfer portal in 2023 and joined Indiana when Tom Allen coached the Hoosiers that year.
'When I came into college, I was a safety, and then my defensive coordinator at Texas Tech asked if I ever played corner,' Minor said. 'I've always played anywhere in the back end, so I'm familiar with a lot of the spots, and I know how to play each and every one of the spots. I feel like back there, that's what makes me versatile. For the most part, I played corner in college.'
Minor tallied 20 tackles and four pass deflections in 11 games that season when the Hooisers went 3–9 that year. Since Indiana didn't keep Allen and his staff, Minor opted to transfer again and joined Memphis.
With the Tigers, Minor garnered two sacks, six pass deflections, and 29 tackles, which included seven for losses. Minor also got to play in the Frisco Bowl for the Tigers, which finished 11–2.
'At Memphis, we had a package for me to come in at nickel, but we never got to run it,' Minor said. 'So, I'm familiar with nickel too. Wherever you need me in the back end, I fill that spot.'
While Minor's numbers don't jump off the page, believes his versatility will make a difference for the Patriots. That's notably the only team he visited during the pre-draft process.
'I would say I tackle very well. I'll come up and run support. I feel like I'm a technician,' Minor said. 'I can play man coverage. I feel like I'm versatile in the back end. I can play whatever defensive back position or help out on special teams, whatever I need to do to get the win, or do whatever I can to help the team out.'
Minor said he talked with Patriots scouts at the Memphis Pro Day and later visited the organization in Foxboro, Massachusetts. He said it had 'that family feel,' and he said he's ready to 'put my head down and grind' for the Patriots.
New England executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf likes what he sees in Minor. The Patriots notably traded the No. 228 pick with the Kansas City Chiefs for No. 251 and No. 257.
'The movement skills at practice, the ability to play the football in the air, his competitiveness, we brought him in for a pre-draft visit, a 30 visit, and he did a really nice job on that,' Wolf
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
9 minutes ago
- USA Today
USC football countdown to kickoff continues—Deontay Burnett in focus
USC football countdown to kickoff continues—Deontay Burnett in focus The countdown to USC's 2025 football season is officially on! The Trojans kick off their new campaign 80 days from today. You need something to help you while away the days and hours in the spring and summer. This is one way to do so. In this new series, countdown to kickoff, we will be counting down the days by highlighting a notable Trojan who wore each number. Today, we take a look at former USC wide receiver Deontay Burnett. Position: Wide receiver Years played at USC: 2015-2017 Career highlights: After a relatively quiet freshman season, Burnett broke out towards the end of his sophomore year. As a junior in 2017, he became USC's No. 1 receiving option, catching 86 passes for 1114 yards and nine touchdowns. In a showdown with Texas, he had eight receptions for 123 yards and two touchdowns, including one in overtime, helping lead the Trojans to a statement victory. Burnett will forever be remembered by USC fans, however, for his performance in the 2017 Rose Bowl vs. Penn State. That afternoon in Pasadena, he had one of the best single-game performances by a receiver in program history, catching 13 passes for 164 yards and three touchdowns. One of those touchdowns was the game-tying score with 1:20 left, as the Trojans would go on to win 52-49 on a walk-off field goal by kicker Matt Boeermeester. The call by ESPN commentator Chris Fowler—"Touchdown! Deontay Burnett with the hat trick!"—will forever be entrenched in the minds of USC fans. After USC: Following his junior season, Burnett somewhat surprisingly declared for the 2018 NFL Draft. However, he was not selected, instead signing with the Tennessee Titans as an undrafted free agent. Between 2018 and 2020, he appeared in nine regular season NFL games and one postseason game with the New York Jets and Philadelphia Eagles, catching 16 passes for 215 yards across both. Burnett currently plays for the Arlington Renegades of the United Football League.
USA Today
19 minutes ago
- USA Today
4 Browns players on their last chance to leave a positive impression on the team
4 Browns players on their last chance to leave a positive impression on the team 2025 appears set up to be a cornerstone season for the Cleveland Browns. A Super Bowl may not be in the cards, but as the team recovers from the Deshaun Watson fallout, they smartly maneuvered to reset the roster and cap space. The benefit of this is that it will be a low-expectation season, giving young players a chance to develop and prove themselves. For some, that'll be a chance to earn a long-term deal as part of the Browns' future. But, for others, it could be their final chance to prove they can be a starter in the league. Here are the players to keep an eye on as they enter a massive prove-it season. LT Dawand Jones Jones is a hulking offensive lineman entering his third season on the Browns after being a fourth-round pick in 2023. Despite his draft status, he's found himself playing more often than not, starting nine games as a rookie at right tackle for an injured Jack Conklin, and another eight games in 2024 at left tackle. The problem has been that we haven't gotten that extended look at him with both seasons ending in injury. The Browns did not address the offensive line in the draft, making Jones the lone starter on the offensive line on a rookie deal and under the age of 30 (by the start of the season). His short stints as a starter and his draft status do not give him a particularly long leash going forward, but the lack of other options guarantees him this season to prove himself. To start, he must stay healthy. Shedding over 20 pounds is a great start and also shows his commitment. From there, he'll need to improve his game and become a more reliable blind-side option. A breakout campaign from Jones would be massive for the Browns, for once, they would address the quarterback. If he can't do that, he may be best suited as a backup swing tackle on another team. OG Teven Jenkins While it didn't make headlines, the Jenkins signing was one of the more confounding of the off-season. A former second-round selection to Chicago, Jenkins slid in the draft process due to injury concerns that would follow him into the NFL. While consistently battling bruises and ailments, Jenkins managed to start 45 games in four years with the Bears and improved every season. He wasn't expected to sign for a big deal, but somehow the Browns snagged him late in free agency on a cheap one-year deal. Jenkins has some versatility to his game as a tackle or a guard, but currently, he's slated to be a backup somewhere along the line. It's a move that still doesn't make much sense. Jenkins is better than a cheap backup, and plenty of other teams needed offensive line help. It makes sense that his injuries would weaken his market, but not to this degree. Suddenly, that makes this a very important year for Jenkins. Not only will he need to earn a starting role, but he may need to compete just to stay on the roster against young linemen Zak Zinter and Luke Wypler. If he can do that, then perhaps he can parlay some quality games into a better deal after the season. RB Jerome Ford The Browns made it clear that they wanted a boost at running back after selecting Quinshon Judkins in the second round, and then Dylan Sampson in the fourth. Both were highly touted prospects that should form a fun thunder-and-lightning duo, but that leaves little room for Ford. He won't go down without a fight, however, even taking a pay cut to stay with the team. Ford enters his fourth season on the roster bubble, even after a solid 2023 season that saw him thrust into a starting role. He didn't overwhelm anyone, but he was solid for a young fifth-round draft pick. He was far more efficient than Nick Chubb last season as he returned from injury, but the team still opted to start him instead. This now becomes Ford's final chance to make an impact by holding off one or both rookies for playing time. He has the advantage of experience in the league and with the scheme, and even familiarity with Joe Flacco should he win the starting quarterback job. But the team doesn't value Ford highly by their actions over the past two seasons. That'll make 2025 an uphill battle for Ford as he tries to extend his career. CB Greg Newsome II Until the selection of Mason Graham this past draft, Greg Newsome had been the last first-round pick on the Browns for three straight seasons. Unfortunately, he hasn't lived up to that billing, showing strong flashes but never being able to close that gap of consistency. The team did pick up his fifth-year option last off-season, giving Newsome one more year to play his way into a bigger contract, whether that be for the Browns or someone else. Newsome did not get off to a strong start as he was replaced in favor of Martin Emerson last season and then went down with a hamstring injury that cut his year short. However, the team did not draft a cornerback nor add anyone of substantial threat to a starting role in free agency. That means Newsome will get significant playing time once again, and with it, one last chance to prove himself. He doesn't need to break out in a big way to maintain his position, as Denzel Ward holds down the #1 cornerback spot. But he does need to become a more reliable player and find some consistency. This will be his third year with defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, and should the defensive line put more pressure on opposing quarterbacks this year, then perhaps Newsome will find a little more success himself.
Newsweek
23 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Nick Wright Sounds Off on Shocking Jalen Hurts Ranking
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Since taking over as the starting quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles, Jalen Hurts has emerged as one of the best players at the position. Fresh off leading the franchise to just its second Super Bowl victory, one NFL analyst was left stunned to see where he was ranked among his peers. Every year, former NFL quarterback Chris Simms puts together a ranking of the top QBs in the league. In his latest installment, Hurts finds himself on the back end of the top ten. The reigning Super Bowl MVP was slotted in at No. 10 behind players such as Baker Mayfield, Justin Herbert, and C.J. Stroud. "He brings a skillset to [the Eagles] offense that makes them almost indefensible with all the talent they have," Simms said. Super Bowl MVP Jalen Hurts, 2024 Offensive Rookie of the Year Jayden Daniels, and Matthew Stafford headline first batch of top ten rankings of @CSimmsQB's Quarterback Countdown, now on Chris Simms Unbuttoned and Pro Football Talk More: — NBC Sports PR (@NBCSportsPR) June 9, 2025 As expected, Simms latest QB rankings sparked debates among numerous fans and analysts. Among those to chime in with their thoughts was Nick Wright. While on FS1's First Things First, he sounded off on Simms for having Hurts so low on his latest list. "Chris Simms, if you happen to run in to mamma Hurts she's going to give you a piece of her mind," Wright said. "Having Jalen Hurts behind Justin Herbert, it's really one of things where it tells me a lot about the evaluator...I just don't know how you can say he's better than Jalen Hurts." Chris Simms ranks Jalen Hurts #10 in his 2025 QB rankings. @getnickwright reacts: 'I just don't know how you can say [Justin Herbert] is better than Jalen Hurts. That one ranking seems to me to be indefensible other than, 'eh, I just know.'' — First Things First (@FTFonFS1) June 10, 2025 On paper, Herbert has the flashier numbers. However, the proper context is needed. Hurts' passing numbers took a slight dip, but Saquon Barkley had a lot to do with that. Seeing that he put together a historic season on the ground, the Eagles had a more run-heavy attack. Nonetheless, Hurts still threw for over 2,900 yards and 18 touchdowns to just five interceptions. That's not even counting his own impact on the ground, rushing for 630 yards and 14 touchdowns. Jalen Hurts #1 of the Philadelphia Eagles looks to the sideline during Super Bowl LIX against the Kansas City Chiefs at Caesars Superdome on February 9, 2025. Jalen Hurts #1 of the Philadelphia Eagles looks to the sideline during Super Bowl LIX against the Kansas City Chiefs at Caesars Superdome on February 9, passing numbers look better, throwing for 3,870 yards and 23 touchdowns. That said, when combining scores in the air and on the ground, Hurts found the end zone more. It's also worth noting that Hurts leading the Eagles to a Super Bowl should have him at least a few spots higher on Simms' list. Wright clearly disagrees with Hurts being placed so low, but the Eagles star likely isn't fazed by it. Instead, it's something he'll use as a motivation as he looks to lead Philadelphia on another title run. Between his regular season and playoff success, along with his dynamic skill set, it's hard to argue that there are nine QBs better than Hurts right now.
