The NFL draft is reaching its conclusion, and the last player to be selected, also known as “Mr. Irrelevant” will be named.
It’s rare to see a last overall pick find their path in their respective league, however, it’s not impossible. Players in various sports have managed to have successful careers, especially compared to those whose names were called before theirs.
Here is a look at some notable last overall draft picks.
Ryan Succop- 2009 Draft- 7th round, 256th overall
(Icon Sportswire/Getty Images)
The NFL does not have as many successful ironman, but Tennessee Titans Kicker Ryan Succopp has managed to carve himself quite a nice career in the league. The South Carolina Alum has played in 128 games, and has nailed 174 of 209 attempts in his career.
Mike Green- 2000 NFL Draft- 7th round, 254th overall
Green played out the majority of his career as a with the Chicago Bears, but played out the rest of his pro days with the Seattle Seahawks and Washington Redskins respectively. In 2002, the defensive back recorded 100 tackles. Not bad for a player selected with the last overall pick.
Patric Hornqvist- 2005 NHL Draft- 7th round, 230th overall
(Joe Sargent/NHLI/Getty Images)
Hornqvist is an integral piece in the Pittsburgh Penguins offence, and helped the team capture a Stanley Cup last season. He is a linemate of Sidney Crosby, which anyone would agree says a lot about him as a hockey player. He has 362 points in 579 regular season games.
Jonathan Ericsson- 2002 NHL Draft- 9th round, 291st overall
The Detroit Red Wings are known for finding gems in the later rounds of the draft. Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg, drafted 171st and 210th respectively, are regarded as two of the greatest players in franchise history. Ericsson, who played 22 games during the team’s 2008-2009 run to the Stanley Cup finals, has been a key piece on Detroit’s blue line, and has played 529 regular season games in his career.
Kim Johnsson- 1994 NHL Draft- 11th round, 286th overall
(Hunter Martin/NHLI Images/Getty Images)
There seems to be a trend with teams finding skilled Swedes with the last overall pick of the draft. Johnsson played a whopping 739 games throughout his career, and recorded 41 points during the 2001-2002 season with the Philadelphia Flyers.
Isaiah Thomas- 2011 NBA Draft- 2nd round, 60th overall
(Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Believe it or not, Thomas was the last player slected in his draft class. He has come a long way, but the guard has gradually become one of the NBA’s most electrifying players.
If you get a moment, take a look at the draft of each of these players, and the statistics (or lack of), that players ahead of them have achieved throughout their careers. It just goes to show that just because a player is drafted late, it doesn’t mean that they cannot be an effective player.
Isn’t that right, Phil?
