NFL-‘I’ll take it’: Patriots make DB Minor latest ‘Mr. Irrelevant’

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(Reuters) – The New England Patriots made defensive back Kobee Minor this year’s “Mr. Irrelevant” on Saturday, and the final pick in the NFL Draft will look to defy the dubious title and make a major impact on the league.

While many collegiate stars dream of taking the stage on the opening night of the NFL Draft to accept a jersey in front of throngs of fans, others are simply grateful to hear their name called at all – no matter how late.

“Mr. Irrelevant I’ll take it,” Minor wrote on Instagram, as the Patriots selected him in the seventh round, 257th overall.

While plenty of late draft picks have gone on to have successful NFL careers, the “Mr. Irrelevant” title is a cheeky distinction for players few experts have on their radar after college.

Minor will hope to join a handful of past success stories, including San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy, who was picked last in 2022 and two years later became the first “Mr. Irrelevant” to start in the Super Bowl.

“People are going to tell you that you may not be good enough or anything like that but if you believe and you keep putting in the work then anything is possible,” Purdy said ahead of Super Bowl 58, where the Kansas City Chiefs beat the Niners 25-22.

The Patriots, looking to turn things around after three straight losing seasons, had Minor on their radar early in the process, Executive Vice President of Player Personnel Eliot Wolf told reporters.

“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 and he did a really nice job on that and so he was just kind of a guy that we have some affinity for,” said Wolf.

(Reporting by Amy Tennery in New York; Editing by David Gregorio)