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CNN
27-04-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
New England Patriots make Kobee Minor this year's ‘Mr. Irrelevant'
With the 257th and final pick of the 2025 NFL Draft, the New England Patriots selected cornerback Kobee Minor from the University of Memphis. As the last player selected in the draft, Minor joins one of the most unique fraternities in sports and becomes the newest man to earn the nickname 'Mr. Irrelevant.' 'I love it. I've never been a highly recruited guy. I've never been one of the top guys so really this isn't anything new to me,' Minor said on a video call shortly after being drafted by the Patriots. 'I am just going to go out here and do what I got to do, put my head down and grind like I always been.' A fifth-year senior, Minor finished his collegiate career with the Memphis Tigers after initially playing for the Texas Tech Red Raiders and the Indiana Hoosiers. Last season, Minor has 38 tackles, two sacks, two forced fumbles, and six pass deflections for the Tigers. While the final pick in the draft doesn't always enjoy great success on the field, there are plenty of other perks that come with the dubious honor. In 1976, the late Paul Salata, who himself had been a 10th round draft pick in 1951, decided that he wanted to give the last draft pick something to smile about. He invited the 487th pick Kelvin Kirk to Newport Beach in California and the concept of 'Mr Irrelevant' was born. It's since become one of the most endearing concepts in sports. The event known as 'Irrelevant Week' is now run by Salata's daughter, Melanie Salata-Fitch, who was in Green Bay to announce Minor's selection on Saturday. Salata-Finch told CNN that planning for the week begins from backstage as soon as the draft is over. Irrelevant Week takes place in Newport Beach, featuring a parade in honor of the draftee, a 'roast and toast' dinner and a golf tournament. The festivities are tailored to each athlete, and they are encouraged to submit a wish list. There are VIP trips to Disneyland and the Playboy Mansion, players have met celebrities like Will Farrell and Jimmy Kimmel and driven the cars of their dreams. At the end of the week, the players leave Newport Beach with more than just fond memories. Stuffed into their luggage is the Lowsman Trophy, a tongue in cheek reference to the Heisman Trophy given to the best NCAA player every season. The player on the trophy is depicted fumbling the ball. But occasionally Mr. Irrelevant has found success on the football field. San Francisco quarterback Brock Purdy, Mr. Irrelevant in 2022, had an immediate impact for the 49ers. In his rookie season, he was pressed into the starting role due to injuries and engineered a five-game winning streak that was instrumental in the team's run the NFC Championship game that year. The next season, Purdy earned the starting quarterback role and led the team to a Super Bowl appearance, where the 49ers lost to the Kansas City Chiefs in overtime. Another notable Mr. Irrelevant was kicker Ryan Succop, the final pick in the 2009 draft by the Chiefs. Succop went on the enjoy a 14-year NFL career, winning a Super Bowl with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2021. Following his selection, Minor posted on his Instagram story, 'Mr. Irrelevant. I'll take it.' Time will tell what awaits for Minor in his NFL career, but it's sure to be an exciting ride for the Dallas, Texas, native.
CNN
27-04-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
New England Patriots make Kobee Minor this year's ‘Mr. Irrelevant'
With the 257th and final pick of the 2025 NFL Draft, the New England Patriots selected cornerback Kobee Minor from the University of Memphis. As the last player selected in the draft, Minor joins one of the most unique fraternities in sports and becomes the newest man to earn the nickname 'Mr. Irrelevant.' 'I love it. I've never been a highly recruited guy. I've never been one of the top guys so really this isn't anything new to me,' Minor said on a video call shortly after being drafted by the Patriots. 'I am just going to go out here and do what I got to do, put my head down and grind like I always been.' A fifth-year senior, Minor finished his collegiate career with the Memphis Tigers after initially playing for the Texas Tech Red Raiders and the Indiana Hoosiers. Last season, Minor has 38 tackles, two sacks, two forced fumbles, and six pass deflections for the Tigers. While the final pick in the draft doesn't always enjoy great success on the field, there are plenty of other perks that come with the dubious honor. In 1976, the late Paul Salata, who himself had been a 10th round draft pick in 1951, decided that he wanted to give the last draft pick something to smile about. He invited the 487th pick Kelvin Kirk to Newport Beach in California and the concept of 'Mr Irrelevant' was born. It's since become one of the most endearing concepts in sports. The event known as 'Irrelevant Week' is now run by Salata's daughter, Melanie Salata-Fitch, who was in Green Bay to announce Minor's selection on Saturday. Salata-Finch told CNN that planning for the week begins from backstage as soon as the draft is over. Irrelevant Week takes place in Newport Beach, featuring a parade in honor of the draftee, a 'roast and toast' dinner and a golf tournament. The festivities are tailored to each athlete, and they are encouraged to submit a wish list. There are VIP trips to Disneyland and the Playboy Mansion, players have met celebrities like Will Farrell and Jimmy Kimmel and driven the cars of their dreams. At the end of the week, the players leave Newport Beach with more than just fond memories. Stuffed into their luggage is the Lowsman Trophy, a tongue in cheek reference to the Heisman Trophy given to the best NCAA player every season. The player on the trophy is depicted fumbling the ball. But occasionally Mr. Irrelevant has found success on the football field. San Francisco quarterback Brock Purdy, Mr. Irrelevant in 2022, had an immediate impact for the 49ers. In his rookie season, he was pressed into the starting role due to injuries and engineered a five-game winning streak that was instrumental in the team's run the NFC Championship game that year. The next season, Purdy earned the starting quarterback role and led the team to a Super Bowl appearance, where the 49ers lost to the Kansas City Chiefs in overtime. Another notable Mr. Irrelevant was kicker Ryan Succop, the final pick in the 2009 draft by the Chiefs. Succop went on the enjoy a 14-year NFL career, winning a Super Bowl with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2021. Following his selection, Minor posted on his Instagram story, 'Mr. Irrelevant. I'll take it.' Time will tell what awaits for Minor in his NFL career, but it's sure to be an exciting ride for the Dallas, Texas, native.
Boston Globe
27-04-2025
- Sport
- Boston Globe
‘I love it:' Meet Mr. Irrelevant Kobee Minor, the final pick of the 2025 NFL Draft and the newest Patriot
Nobody had a longer wait to hear their name called than Minor, who finally went at No. 257 to New England on Saturday. Advertisement 'It's just a blessing,' Minor said. 'I've been waiting all day, I didn't know if I was going to get the call or not, and I ended up waiting to the last pick and ended up getting that call. My heart was racing ... so I'm thankful.' Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Kobee Minor (center, in air) transferred from Texas Tech to Indiana to Memphis. Darron Cummings/Associated Press Minor has bounced around quite a bit, both on the field and off of it. He started his college career at Texas Tech before transferring to Indiana and later finishing his college career at Memphis. He started out as a safety at Texas Tech, moved to corner, and his played all over the secondary. 'I would say I tackle very well, I can come up in run support,' Minor said. 'I'd say I'm a technician, I can play man coverage, and I feel like I'm versatile on the back end, I can play whatever DB position or help out on special teams, whatever I need to do to help the team out.' Advertisement In 11 games last season, the 6-foot, 190-pound cornerback recorded 38 tackles, including seven for loss, and forced two fumbles. The Patriots have franchise cornerstone Christian Gonzalez leading their cornerback room but have struggled to find depth at the position. The Patriots selected Mr. Irrelevant for the third time in franchise history. The Patriots previously drafted Mr. Irrelevant in 1994 (Marty Moore) and 2005 (Andy Stokes). Moore, a special teamer, went on to become the first Mr. Irrelevant to play in the Super Bowl, when he competed in Super Bowl XXXI. What is Mr. Irrelevant and Irrelevant Week? The title of Mr. Irrelevant was created when former USC and one-time pro football player Paul Salata decided in 1976 he wanted to honor the last pick in the NFL Draft. Salata had been a 10th round pick as a receiver in 1951, and 15 years later, 'Mr. Irrelevant' and 'Irrelevant Week' were born when Salata invited 487th pick Kelvin Kirk to celebrate with him in Newport Beach in California. To this day, Irrelevant Week takes place in Newport Beach, California, featuring a parade in honor of the draftee, a 'roast and toast' dinner, and a golf tournament. The invited athlete is encouraged to submit a list of activities they want to include in their special celebration. At the conclusion of the festivities, the player receives the Lowsman Trophy, a nod to the NCAA's Heisman Trophy — though Mr. Irrelevant receives a prize that depicts him fumbling the ball. Advertisement The Patriots have drafted Mr. Irrelevant three times: in 1994 (Marty Moore), 2005 (Andy Stokes), and now 2025 (Kobee Minor). Moore, a special teamer, went on to become the first Mr. Irrelevant to play in the Super Bowl, when he competed in Super Bowl XXXI. Amin Touri can be reached at
USA Today
26-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Who was Mr. Irrelevant 2025? Patriots take Kobee Minor with final pick of NFL draft
Who was Mr. Irrelevant 2025? Patriots take Kobee Minor with final pick of NFL draft Show Caption Hide Caption Browns GM Andrew Berry on why they drafted Shedeur Sanders Despite already drafting Dillon Gabriel to an already crowded Browns QB room, GM Andrew Berry explains why they couldn't pass up Shedeur Sander in the fifth round. Sports Pulse The NFL draft is finally in the books. And with that, came one of the NFL's draft's most looked forward to traditions of recent years on Saturday at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin: Mr. Irrelevant. The New England Patriots gave the title and honor to Memphis cornerback Kobee Minor with the No. 257 overall pick of the seventh round in the 2025 NFL Draft on Saturday. REQUIRED READING: What is Mr. Irrelevant? Explaining the NFL draft nickname for final pick In recent years, the nickname Mr. Irrelevant has garnered perhaps more attention and hype after 2022 Mr. Irrelevant Brock Purdy led the San Francisco 49ers to the Super Bowl in just his second season in 2023. It is also a nickname that adds another "underdog" to the NFL sphere, a type of player that NFL fans are accustomed to falling in love with. Here's what you need to know about who is Mr. Irrelevant from the 2025 NFL Draft and more: Who was Mr. Irrelevant 2025 from NFL draft? Mr. Irrelevant 2025 is none other than Minor, who was taken by the Patriots with the final pick of the NFL draft. Minor spent the first three years of his college career at Texas Tech before transferring to Indiana in 2023. He then transferred to Memphis in 2024, appearing in 11 games and registering 38 tackles, according to his player bio. He also had seven tackles for loss, two sacks, six passes defensed and two forced fumbles. Noted by the Detroit Free Press, part of the USA TODAY Network, Minor will now head to Newport Beach, California for a week-long trip where he will pay a visit to Disneyland, play in a golf tournament, be the subject of a roast and be presented with the Lowsman Trophy, which is modeled after the Heisman Trophy, but features a player fumbling the ball. Mr. Irrelevant NFL draft history As previously reported by USA TODAY, the nickname Mr. Irrelevant was first introduced to the NFL draft by former USC receiver and NFL draftee Paul Salata when he gave it to Kelvin Kirk in the 1976 NFL Draft when the Pittsburgh Steelers took the Dayton wide receiver with the last pick of the draft. It has now since become one of the more looked forward to parts of the NFL draft Here's a look at every Mr. Irrelevant since the inception of the nickname in 1976:
