The honor of Mr. Irrelevant for the 2024 NFL Draft was given to former Alabama safety Jaylen Key, as the New York Jets selected him with the final pick of the draft, No. 257 overall.
The UAB transfer played just one season in Tuscaloosa, and recorded 60 total tackles, one pass defensed and one interception. Over the course of his college career, Key recorded 138 total tackles, three passes defensed and four interceptions. Key was CBS Sports' No. 409 prospect in this class.
The Mr. Irrelevant tradition was started in 1976 by NFL alumnus Paul Salata, and being the final selection of the draft comes with perks. This summer, Key will be the subject of an Arrival Party in Newport Beach, given a tour of Disneyland, visit the charity beneficiary selected for that year, participate in a sailing regatta and attend a Major League Baseball Game along with other special honors, according to the Mr. Irrelevant official website.
"We established Irrelevant Week to drive home an important message -- that it's not a negative to be picked last in the NFL Draft; rather, it's an honor to be drafted at all," Salata says. "The last draft pick's demonstration of perseverance is a lesson that resonates not only with NFL players and fans, but also with people everywhere."
Perhaps one day this honor will be named after 2022's Mr. Irrelevant, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy, the most successful Mr. Irrelevant of all time. As a rookie, Purdy stepped in and helped San Francisco make the NFC Championship game, and then in his first season as the full-time starter, to Super Bowl LVIII.
