Virgen: Pay attention to this Mr. Irrelevant

This year’s Irrelevant Week is sure to be a very special one for founder Paul Salata and all of his many friends.

It is the 40th annual event celebrating the final pick in the NFL Draft. Also this year marks Irrelevant Week’s return to the Balboa Bay Resort.

Irrelevant Week is always fun, but there just seems to be something different about this one. It has a lot to do with Mr. Irrelevant Gerald Christian. He has the potential to become the best one of them all.

Salata won’t tell you his favorite Mr. Irrelevant of all time, but he laughs when he’s asked about the most relevant Mr. Irrelevant in the history of the NFL’s biggest underdogs.

“The kicker,” he says with a smile. “You know? The one with the funny name.”

I can relate, I tell Salata, only making him laugh more.

To date, perhaps the most relevant Mr. Irrelevant has been placekicker Ryan Succop. In March he signed a three-year, $7.2 million contract, $2.75 million guaranteed, with the Tennessee Titans. He drilled 19 of 22 field goals last season, setting a career high with his 86.4% success rate.

Succop was the Mr. Irrelevant in 2009, when the Chiefs selected him as the dead last pick of the NFL Draft.

A couple noteworthy Mr. Irrelevants were also Jim Finn (1999), the stud fullback for the Giants, and David Vobora (2008). The linebacker was known for winning $5.4 million in his lawsuit against a Florida supplements maker. Also during his Irrelevant Week he paid a special visit to the Playboy Mansion.

Who knows what Christian will do during his Irrelevant Week next week in Newport Beach. But the Arizona Cardinals tight end is determined to be the best Mr. Irrelevant and more.

“I feel like I can be a great player in the NFL,” Christian told me during his recent stay in Newport Beach on June 6-7 for the Balboa Parade. “That’s what I want to do. I know the history of Mr. Irrelevants but I don’t really pay too much attention to that. Regardless of where I got picked my goal has always been to be a great guy in the NFL, someone who makes an impact.

“I’m not going to let the history of Mr. Irrelevant discourage me. I’m just going to go out there and play ball and I know I can play ball with the best of them.”

The 6-foot-3, 244-pound tight end believes the Arizona Cardinals got a steal with their Mr. Irrelevant pick. He’s anxious to prove that he can be great.

He certainly had lofty expectations when he came out of Dwyer High School in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.

After leading Dwyer to a state title, he was rated by a few outlets as the No. 2 tight end in the country and was picked up by Florida. He redshirted his freshman year with the Gators and had minimal time in his first year of play.

He then transferred to the University of Louisville.

He caught 32 passes for 384 yards and five touchdowns for the University of Louisville last season.

He said he remains motivated that he can be productive as a blocker and a pass catcher in the NFL.

He’s seen a lot of his friends succeed in the NFL, including Matt Elam, a safety for the Baltimore Ravens.

Elam’s older brother, Abram, also played in the NFL and has been a mentor for Christian.

Abram Elam accompanied Christian during his recent first trip to Newport Beach. They fished together on June 6. They also went bar-hopping, but Christian made sure to resist even a sip of a cocktail.

Christian sees the bigger picture. Abram Elam is advising him and helping him in his quest to not only find a spot on the roster but to be a great NFL player.

Abram Elam, who dealt with adversity while growing up in Florida, believes Christian is on the path to succeed if he continues to make the right choices and works hard.

In May, Christian signed his rookie contract with Arizona. It’s a four-year, $2.332 million deal, including a $52,784 signing bonus.

Christian says he’s grateful he wasn’t the second-to-the-last pick in the NFL Draft because he wouldn’t have been able to be celebrated next week in Newport Beach. But he’s also very thankful he was drafted since rookie free agents aren’t able to get a contract such as his.

Christian remains excited to open camp with the Cardinals later this month. For now, he wants to enjoy Irrelevant Week. He’ll be formally introduced during a beach party at Balboa Bay Resort Tuesday at 5:30 p.m.

He’ll also be the featured cyclist during a 45-minute spin session at GRIT Cycle in Costa Mesa on Wednesday morning. After that event, he’ll be like a Super Bowl champion having fun at Disneyland.

Christian will be roasted and toasted during Irrelevant Week’s signature event, the All-Star Banquet at Balboa Bay Resort on July 10 at 6 p.m. During the banquet, he’ll be “awarded” the Lowsman Trophy, which has the figurine fumbling the ball.

Christian will also take part in the Irrelevant Week Community Field Day at Jim Scott Stadium on July 11 at 10 a.m. The event features a flag football game with charitable partner Special Olympics Southern California.

The NFL’s Punt, Pass and Kick program and Play 60 Experience is also included in the event.

For more information and tickets to events, visit www.theundefeated.org.