Trey Quinn and Other Mr. Irrelevant Wide Receivers

If you follow the NFL draft you probably know who Mr. Irrelevant is but for those that don’t – it is the name given to the last NFL draft (at the end of round 7). Sure there is not real difference between the 2^nd to last pick to the last pick to an undrafted free agent ‘theoretically’. But look at any player who went undrafted and the chip they have on their shoulder. I think you could argue the same for Mr. Irrelevant who is ‘supposed’ to be a nobody who doesn’t make an NFL catch.

Below are all of the WR’s taken in the modern draft era as Mr. Irrelevant.

1976 NFL Draft

Kelvin Kirk, WR, Dayton. Taken #487 to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Kelvin went immediately from draftee into the Canadien Football League where he played for 5 different teams across his 7 year career in the CFL. He never played a snap for an NFL game.

1979 NFL Draft

Mike Almond, WR, Northwestern State. Taken #330 to the Pittsburgh Steelers. The four year All-Louisiana selection would sadly not play an NFL snap for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was among the final cuts the team made that year (the team would go on to win the Super Bowl this year behind HOF WR’s Lynn Swann and John Stallworth.

1988 NFL Draft

Jeff Beathard, WR, Southern Oregon. Taken #333 to the Los Angeles Rams. A RB/WR hybrid, Jeff was the son of the Chargers GM Bobby Beathard and nephew of QB Pete Beathard. He was among the earlier players cut in camp that year and while he played in the CFL for a while, he never played an NFL snap.

1989 NFL Draft

Everett Ross, WR, Ohio State. Taken #335 to the Minnesota Vikings. The very first big ten Mr. Irrelevant, Everett was cut during camp. He left football to join the U.S. Army.

2003 NFL Draft

Ryan Hoag, WR, Gustavus Adolphus. Taken #262 to the Oakland Raiders. I suppose it’s a start when a Mr. Irrelevant wide receiver at least makes a team. Ryan did not have a career catch but he was a member of the Minnesota Vikings in 2004 logging no games. In 2007 he played in all four preseason games for the Washington Redskins making 3 catches for 57 yards. He was released in September and went to play for Edmonton Eskimos for the remainder of the season. In 2008 the Jacksonville Jaguars signed him to the practice squad, he had two respectable preseason efforts with 98 yards but he was released by them in August of that year. He did not make a regular season NFL reception.

2006 NFL Draft

Kevin McMahan, WR, Maine. Taken # 255 to the Oakland Raiders. Going up against greats like Randy Moss and Jerry Porter, he was cut just before the season in 2006. The next year the Giants brought him on and despite a respectable preseason where he had 5 receptions for 70 yards he was again cut. The Chiefs toyed with him signing him and then cutting him in 2007 and then signing him again in 2008 where he logged 5 receptions for 44 yards in preseason but alas, he was cut again. He would finish with 0 regular season starts.

2010 NFL Draft

Tim Toone, WR, Weber State. Taken # 255 to the Detroit Lions. He made it far with the Lions in training camp but was one of the last ones cut. In 2011 the Bills signed him to their practice squad, he logged 5 receptions for 65 yards during preseason but did not log any regular season playing time. The Falcons signed him in 2012 where he had 3 receptions for 55 yards and made the 53 man roster until a hamstring pull which put him on the IR. He was waived at the end of the season.

2017 NFL Draft

Trey Quinn, WR, SMU. Taken #256 to the Washington Redskins. As you have seen by now, the track record is not looking good. Many have made it to the preseason squad and even excelled there only to not be asked on to the 53 man roster. The trend is certainly going in the right direction as each player appears to make it a little further than the last. Trey is certainly talented, he threw a no hitter during the 2008 little league world series as a pitcher, he ran track and clearly he is a talented WR. He played two seasons at LSU playing 25 games and logging 22 receptions and 276 yards. During his one season at SMU he had 114 receptions for 1,236 yards and 13 touchdowns. There is a bit of a cult following for him to make the Redskins roster. Part of this is due to the fact that 6^th round Wyoming center Chase Roullier was a starting center by fall thanks partially to Spencer Long’s injury. The Redskins are thin at WR and Quinn certainly impressed last season at SMU where he finished 10^th in total reception yards in NCAAF with the most receptions and 6^th most touchdowns. Taking this from the reception part – looking at the last three years shows players who at least made it to the NFL

2017: Zay Jones was drafted in the 2^nd round by the Bills and had 27 receptions for 316 yards and 2 touchdowns last season.

2016: Tajae Sharpe was drafted by the Tennessee Titans in 2016 and proceeded to have 41 receptions and 522 yards before being injured through the 2017 season.

2015: Amari Cooper was drafted in the first round by the Oakland Raiders, he has amassed 203 receptions for 2,903 yards and 18 touchdowns over three season.

Taking out Amari Cooper who came out of Alabama, Tajae Sharpe is from UMass and Zay Jones came from Eastern Carolina University, hardly ‘marquee’ football programs. There is a convincing argument to be made that Trey Quinn could become the most successful Mr. Irrelevant WR draft pick and I am in full agreement. I do hold back on just how successful he will be though given the limited amount of success that has been seen (essentially one season at SMU). It’s certainly something to watch as training camp progresses. He’s currently sitting as 3^rd on the ‘way too early’ depth chart behind Josh Doctson and Brian Quick.