It’s every football player’s dream to have their name called in the draft, and for the most part, they all get some sort of playing time. 

But what about the very last pick, number 262?

This player earns himself the name of “Mr. Irrelevant”. The player given this title usually lives up to the name, as many of these ‘irrelevant’ players never see the field and usually end up retiring after their rookie contracts end.

The infamous nickname was given just last year to Brock Purdy, a quarterback from Iowa State University. He was the very last pick of the 2022 draft and was sent to the San Francisco 49ers. 

Over the course of the season, it seemed like he would never see the field and was more than likely to be let go. However, something almost impossible happened, The 49ers’ starting quarterback, Trey Lance, went out with a foot injury and would miss the rest of the season. 

Although this happened, Purdy would still have to sit behind last season’s starter for the team-Jimmy Garroppolo. However, during Week 13’s matchup against the Miami Dolphins, Garroppolo was injured, leaving the rookie “Mr. Irrelevant” Brock Purdy to take over. Expectations were low, but Brock would lead the 49ers to a win against the Dolphins and spark talks about this year’s Mr.Irrelevant. 

A lot of critics believed that this switch was just temporary and that Jimmy would come back in time for the playoffs. The 49ers had already earned a playoff spot, and the rest of the season was pretty much optional for them at that point. 

However, in the short five-game stint that he played, Brock had 1,374 yards and 13 touchdowns, proving all of his doubters wrong. 

Brock continued this momentum going into the playoffs by beating both the Seattle Seahawks and the Dallas Cowboys before being stopped by the Philadelphia Eagles in the conference championship. In that championship game, Brock suffered a tear in his throwing elbow but elected to continue to play through it for a chance to lead his team to the Super Bowl. 

Unfortunately for him, the 49ers lost the game 31 to 7, and the Eagles progressed to the Superbowl while the 49ers fell short. 

Though he only played 5 regular season games, Purdy’s efforts catapulted him from a no-name “Mr. Irrelevant” to one of the more popular players in the league; even being voted as a finalist for offensive rookie of the year. 

Brock Purdy is truly inspiring, as his story is about really making the most of your shot and making a name for yourself. Because of his story, more teams could be taking chances on lower-pick talents like Brock.