Christian is 40th Mr. Irrelevant
The NFL Draft always ends with the dead-last pick, better known as Mr. Irrelevant, but this year it wrapped up in a unique way.
Someone other than Newport Beach resident Paul Salata, the founder of Irrelevant Week, or his daughter, Melanie Fitch, the president of Irrelevant Week, announced the last player chosen.
The Salata family allowed a former Mr. Irrelevant, Chandler Harnish, to reveal this year’s Mr. Irrelevant, Gerald Christian, from of all places Tempe, Ariz. There was a reason for celebrating the 40th anniversary of Irrelevant Week in this fashion.
The two players with the dubious distinction weren’t on the stage together at the NFL Draft in Chicago on Saturday, but Christian and Harnish might be teammates this upcoming season with the Arizona Cardinals, if they can make the 53-man roster. The Cardinals recently signed Harnish, a backup quarterback, and now they’ve seemed to find the 2012 Mr. Irrelevant a 6-foot-3, 244-pound tight end to throw to on the practice squad.
Only the Cardinals would draft someone who played for the Cardinals in college.
“It’s Cardinals to the Cardinals,” Christian said. “I’m going to keep this thing going.”
With the No. 256 overall pick, Arizona went with Christian, who caught 32 passes for 384 yards and five touchdowns for the University of Louisville last season. The seventh-round selection came about an hour before the running of the 141st Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville.
Football and horseracing proved to be a big deal in Louisville on Saturday. Christian marked the 10th player from the University of Louisville taken during the three-day draft. On Derby Day, Churchill Downs’ infield is quite the spectacle.
Christian will get to experience his own bash during Irrelevant Week, part of the Foundation for the Undefeated, from July 7-12. Newport Beach plans to celebrate and roast Christian for going last in the draft.
“It’s been crazy,” Christian said of his career thus far. “Out of high school I was the No. 2 tight end in the country. I was really recruited high. I had all these high expectations of myself. I just wasn’t satisfied. I went to Louisville. I did well at Louisville. But for me I haven’t lived up to my goals. I have high expectations of myself. I felt I was overlooked. It made me motivated. I want to prove to everyone I can play ball.”
Even if he doesn’t win a Super Bowl someday, Christian can at least say, “I’m going to Disneyland!” because he will as Mr. Irrelevant.
— Steve Virgen contributed to this story