The new Mr. Irrelevant should stay irrelevant
Players who are picked last in the NFL draft are honored for overcoming something great, but some players ruin that honor
The last pick in the NFL draft is commonly referred as the “Mr. Irrelevant” pick. Usually this pick will go to a player who will probably not start on an NFL roster, but overcame an obstacle or defied the odds as a college player. This years “Mr. Irrelevant” pick was Ole Miss quarterback Chad Kelly, and he was drafted by the Denver Broncos.
Chad Kelly has been known to have had some off field issues that have gotten him into trouble. He started at Clemson University but was dismissed. Kelly then started at East Mississippi Community College, and led them to a national championship. Once he signed with Ole Miss, he got in a scuffle outside of a nightclub and threatened to shoot up the club. Once he was escorted out he decided to fight with police officers. He was arrested and charged with multiple crimes. This is only one of the incidents Kelly has had with the law.
The first “Mr. Irrelevant” was Kelvin Kirk. Former player Paul Salata started hosting “irrelevant week” for the last player picked in the draft. Salata honors the player with a trip to Newport Beach and host a golf tournament for the new “Mr.Irrelevant”. Also the new draftee is presented with the “Lowsman Trophy”(mimics Heisman Trophy). Paul Salata had announced the last pick of the draft from 1976 until 2013. His daughter now announces the draft pick for the team. The “Mr. Irrelevant” has become an honor in the NFL.
Chad Kelly is not a player that should be recognized as being a role-model. John Elway and the Denver Broncos have put the Salata family in a bad situation. They have kept the tradition since 1976 and have always honored the last player picked in the draft. Chad Kelly has no business being honored as the last pick of the draft. Though he has some solid college stats, his off field issues reflect an immature person who has thrown away chance after chance. He was only picked by the Broncos and John Elway because of Elway’s relationship with Kelly’s uncle, Jim Kelly. By making this pick, the Broncos may have ruined the tradition of the “Mr. Irrelevant” honor.
