Latest news with #KobeeMinor
New York Times
27-04-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Drafts we liked, the stunning slide of Shedeur Sanders, and a stunning buzzer-beater
The Pulse Newsletter 📣 | This is The Athletic's daily sports newsletter. Sign up here to receive The Pulse directly in your inbox. Good morning! Your team's late-round picks have a lot of character. Congratulations to No. 1 pick Cam Ward, No. 257 pick Kobee Minor and the 255 players picked in between. The weekend had storylines galore for people in my industry to gorge on. The buzziest focused on two players who played for a slightly above-average Big 12 team last year: Colorado's Travis Hunter went to the Jaguars after a blockbuster trade up to No. 2, and Shedeur Sanders sat around until the Browns picked him at No. 144 overall in the fifth round on Sunday. Why the wait? A limited QB market and a player who apparently misunderstood his leverage. Advertisement How'd all 32 teams do? Well, we don't know, and this newsletter won't say anything that you can use in draft court against Dane Brugler and The Athletic's hard-working team. But as a college football media member who's watched these gentlemen play for between three and seven (hi, Tyler Shough!) years, here are some thoughts on a few teams' hauls: Navigate here (free!) to find mega-detailed draft trackers and guides for every club … or here for a complete list of this year's winners and losers. You will not find better resources to quickly catch up on the whole weekend. Other (free to you) odds and ends: Are we done? Never. Here are the most memorable draft moments. And bookmark this best-player-available tracker, which covers undrafted free agent season. An unbelievable buzzer-beater There were eight playoff games between the NBA and NHL last night. But we have to start in L.A., where Aaron Gordon had one of the most incredible buzzer-beaters you will ever see. The Clippers had stormed back from 22 down to take their first lead of the game with 1:11 to play. Nikola Jokić, who had been unstoppable all afternoon, had the ball in his hands for the final possession of regulation. What happened next is indescribable, so watch the highlight here. Did Gordon get it off in time?! You be the judge. Regardless, the Nuggets evened the series at two games apiece. What a finish. What a game. What a series this has been. Plenty more playoff action across the board. Quickly: Whew. More playoffs, please. Wrexham's historic rise Wrexham AFC is just one step away from the Premier League. The Welsh club resided in the fifth tier of English soccer when Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney bought the team in 2020. Yesterday, it became the first club to ever earn back-to-back-to-back promotions all the way to the Championship. Read more on the incredible story. Advertisement More news: 📺 NHL: Jets at Blues, Game 4 | 1 p.m. ET on TBS St. Louis responded with juice in Game 3 after failing to win a game in Winnipeg against the Presidents' Trophy winners. The Blues will have to do that eventually, but their 7-2 romp Thursday was a jolt to see. They controlled the play, and Jordan Binnington backed them nicely in goal. He might need to personally steal a game once the Jets tighten back up. 📺 NBA: Knicks at Pistons, Game 4 | 1 p.m. ET on ABC The Pistons dropped Game 3 at home despite winning the bench scoring margin 40-9. That's forty to nine. Detroit needs a more efficient afternoon from Cade Cunningham and to slow down the scoring party for Karl-Anthony Towns and Jalen Brunson, at least a little. 📺 NASCAR: Jack Link's 500 | 3 p.m. ET on Fox The Cup Series was off last week and now returns at Talladega Superspeedway. Some big news during the downtime: Spire Motorsports split with crew chief Rodney Childers, the second-winningest active crew chief in NASCAR and a man our reporters say is 'regarded as one of the brightest minds in the garage.' Childers was running the crew for Justin Haley's No. 7 team, which sits 23rd in points and still lacks a top-five finish. Asli Pelit's fascinating look at how NWSL players are taking advantage of improved fertility treatment options is essential reading. Season 2 of 'Andor.' Simply excellent TV. — Chris Branch This $199 monitor available at Costco. A life-saver when my last one fried itself. – Alex Kirshner I watched Dropout's 'Smartypants' series this week and got a huge kick out of the presentation on why we shouldn't mess with the ocean. Huge validation for me. I've been arguing for years that what happens in the depths of the ocean is none of my business. Do evil whales eat the bones of dead fish and turn them into sand? I don't know, but I'm not supposed to find out. The ocean is none of my business. Anyway, Dropout's great. Best $5 I spend a month. — Patrick Iversen Advertisement You really can have fresh focaccia on the table tonight with just a few basic pantry ingredients— though that includes yeast — and literally 10 minutes of hands-on prep time (just leave enough time for rising). — Torrey Hart Jayson Jenks' Q&A with veteran MLB manager Joe Maddon features some relatable nuggets about leadership, creativity and criticism. I've had Jon Lee Anderson's 'Che Guevara' on my bookshelf unread for about 20 years. Finally attacked it and demolished it in a matter of days. Properly fascinating. — Phil Hay 'Yacht Rock: A Dockumentary' is a useful gap-fill for music nerds. True taste-makers nerding out over Steely Dan studio sessions is illuminating, and Christopher Cross dropping acid to pen the background for every mall visit of my childhood is genuinely hilarious. — Chris Sprow Most-clicked in the newsletter yesterday: Our pick-by-pick grades from Rounds 2 and 3 of the NFL Draft. Most-read on the website yesterday: Jeff Howe's story from yesterday morning on why Shedeur Sanders hadn't been drafted yet. Ticketing links in this article are provided by partners of The Athletic. Restrictions may apply. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication.
Reuters
27-04-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Memphis CB Kobee Minor becomes 2025's 'Mr. Irrelevant'
April 27 - The New England Patriots made Memphis cornerback Kobee Minor this year's "Mr. Irrelevant" by taking him with the 257th and final pick of the NFL draft. Minor played three seasons at Texas Tech and one at Indiana before his one year at Memphis. In 2024, he had 38 tackles, seven tackles for loss, six passes defended, two sacks, and two forced fumbles. "I love it," Minor said regarding his draft selection, via 98.5 The Sports Hub. "It's just fuel to my fire." The last player taken in the draft typically makes little impact in the NFL, but one exception was San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy, who led the San Francisco 49ers to the Super Bowl in 2024. He was Mr. Irrelevant in 2022. Last season, Alabama safety Jaylen Key earned the nickname when he was selected last by the New York Jets. The award was created by former Southern California wide receiver Paul Salata, who was drafted 10th in 1951. That draft went 30 rounds and the process was shortened several times, ultimately shifting to seven rounds in 1994.
New York Times
27-04-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
The 2025 NFL Draft's Mr. Irrelevant: Kobee Minor joins club of last selections
The final day of the NFL Draft includes a marathon of picks in Rounds 4-7, culminating with one of the league's quirkiest traditions: Mr. Irrelevant. The infamous title is granted to each year's final draft pick. This year, the New England Patriots (which obtained pick No. 257 in a trade with the Kansas City Chiefs) selected Memphis defensive back Kobee Minor with the final pick. Advertisement Minor recorded 37 tackles, 28 solo, with the Tigers in 2024. He played one season in Memphis after stints at Indiana and Texas Tech. San Francisco's 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy reignited interest in the Mr. Irrelevant moniker when he went from pick No. 262 in the 2022 draft to a Pro Bowl selection and Super Bowl berth in 2023. Purdy is the only Mr. Irrelevant quarterback in the common draft era (since 1967) to start and win a playoff game. He is one of three Mr. Irrelevants to make a Super Bowl appearance, joined by linebacker Marty Moore (drafted by the New England Patriots in 1994, Super Bowl XXXVI champion) and kicker Ryan Succop (drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in 2009, Super Bowl LV champion with Tampa Bay). According to a USA Today analysis, more than half of players picked last in the Super Bowl era never played an NFL snap, and less than a fifth (11) have played in 25 or more games. The lore of Mr. Irrelevant dates to 1976, when former receiver Paul Salata founded 'Irrelevant Week.' The tradition honored the draft's final pick with a week of festivities, including a trip to Disneyland, a golf tournament, a regatta, a roast and a ceremony awarding him the Lowsman Trophy, which mimics the Heisman Trophy but with a player fumbling the football. Kelvin Kirk, selected 487th by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1976 draft (when the draft was 17 rounds), was the first recognized Mr. Irrelevant. The beloved title has since stuck, with some controversy. The Los Angeles Rams and Steelers owned the final two picks, respectively, in 1979 but each passed on making their picks multiple times in pursuit of the final one. According to the league's rules, a team that passes doesn't forfeit its selection and can re-enter the draft. So the Rams would have been able to make the final pick if the Steelers opted to draft a player after Los Angeles' initial pass. Advertisement Then-commissioner Pete Rozelle had to force the teams to pick, with the Steelers selecting last, and the incident led to the 'Salata Rule,' which prohibits teams from passing to get the final pick. Still, publicity surrounding Mr. Irrelevant has trickled into draft decisions, even as recently as last year. As The Athletic previously reported, when the New York Jets traded Zach Wilson to the Denver Broncos in April 2024, Jets owner Woody Johnson instructed general manager Joe Douglas to include the draft's penultimate pick in the trade so the Jets could keep the Mr. Irrelevant selection. The Jets used pick No. 257 on former Alabama safety Jaylen Key, who didn't survive the final roster cutdown and signed a reserve/future contract with the Cincinnati Bengals in January. Other notable Mr. Irrelevant selections include Bill Fischer (selected last in 1948 before returning to college, getting drafted in the first round by the Chicago Cardinals in 1949 and becoming the first Mr. Irrelevant to make a Pro Bowl), Tyrone McGriff (drafted in 1980 by the Steelers before earning a spot on the NFL All-Rookie team) and Chad Kelly (drafted to the Denver Broncos in 2017 and became the first Mr. Irrelevant quarterback to play a snap in a regular-season game).
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Memphis CB Kobee Minor is Mr. Irrelevant, taken by the Patriots with the last pick in the NFL draft
FILE - West Virginia tight end Kole Taylor (87) is knocked off his feet by Memphis defensive back Kobee Minor (7) during the second half of the Frisco Bowl NCAA college football game Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024, in Frisco, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero, File) Memphis cornerback Kobee Minor got the title of 'Mr. Irrelevant' on Saturday when he was selected by the New England Patriots with the final pick of the NFL draft. Minor was chosen 257th overall to complete the three-day, seven-round draft in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Patriots sent the 228th overall pick in the fifth round to the Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for the 251st and 257th picks. Advertisement Minor spent his first three college seasons at Texas Tech, followed by a year at Indiana and a final season with Memphis. He had no interceptions in 2024 but had 12 tackles for loss. What he lacks in statistical production, he makes up in speed. Minor ran the 40-yard dash in 4.56 seconds. New England last had the final pick of the draft in 2005, when it selected tight end Andy Stokes. He never played a down in the NFL. ___ AP NFL:
Fox Sports
26-04-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
'Mr. Irrelevant:' Patriots select Kobee Minor with last pick in 2025 NFL Draft
National Football League 'Mr. Irrelevant:' Patriots select Kobee Minor with last pick in 2025 NFL Draft Published Apr. 26, 2025 7:22 p.m. ET share facebook x reddit link Kobee Minor is the 2025 NFL Draft's "Mr. Irrelevant." The New England Patriots selected the Memphis defensive back with the 257th and final pick to officially close out this year's draft. Minor started his college career at Texas Tech, where he played for three years. He then transferred to Indiana for the 2023 season before his final stop at Memphis last year. In 2024, Minor finished with career highs in tackles (38), tackles for loss (7), sacks (2), passes defended (4) and forced fumbles (2). Quarterback Brock Purdy, who was selected by the San Francisco 49ers with the last pick in 2022, is widely considered to be the most famous "Mr. Irrelevant" in NFL history. Since being selected as the No. 262 pick three years ago, Purdy earned a Pro Bowl nod in 2023 and helped the Niners reach the Super Bowl that same season. He's now in line for an extension that could make him one of the 10 highest paid quarterbacks in the league. ADVERTISEMENT Earlier in the draft, New England selected LSU offensive tackle Will Campbell at No. 4, Ohio State running back TreVeyon Henderson at No. 38, Washington State wide receiver Kyle Williams at No. 69 and Georgia offensive lineman Jared Wilson at No. 95, among other selections. The 2026 NFL Draft will be in Pittsburgh, home of the Steelers. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! FOLLOW Follow your favorites to personalize your FOX Sports experience NFL Draft New England Patriots share
