From one Mr. Irrelevant to another: Patriots' first final pick, Marty Moore, has some advice for Kobee Minor
'It's tough enough to get drafted these days, especially with the level of competitiveness out there,' he added. 'And it increases tenfold every year, with the offseason workouts and everything else that has gone into the game since I retired. But the thing he should do is take that badge and use it to his advantage. People will root for him.'
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Moore certainly figured things out. He played in 16 games a year in his first four seasons in the league, and was a part of the 1996 AFC champions. A hard-hitting linebacker, he ended up sticking around for 112 games in the NFL before finishing his career with New England on injured reserve during the 2001 season.
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'I can still claim to be the first Mr. Irrelevant to win a Super Bowl,' he said. 'I'll also say I was the first Mr. Irrelevant to start a game as a rookie. I started that year in the opener against Miami. That gave me some accolades.
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'But I kind of took it as an opportunity to work and make the team, and then I turned it into a career.'
Mr. Irrelevant is one of the most noteworthy draft storylines every year, particularly after San Francisco quarterback Brock Purdy — who was taken No. 262 in 2022 by the Niners — helped guide San Francisco
'We established Irrelevant Week to drive home an important message — that it's not a negative to be picked last in the NFL Draft; rather, it's an honor to be drafted at all,' said former NFL player Paul Salata, who came up with the award in 1976. 'The last draft pick's demonstration of perseverance is a lesson that resonates not only with NFL players and fans, but also with people everywhere.'
Marty Moore celebrated at Disneyland in June 1994, following the Patriots making him the final selection in that year's NFL Draft.
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Minor arrives in the NFL after stops at Texas Tech, Indiana, and Memphis. The 6-foot, 190-pounder had his best collegiate season last year with the Tigers, where he totaled 38 tackles, 6 passes defensed, 2 forced fumbles, 2 sacks, and 7 tackles for loss — all career highs.
'You're going to get a hard worker, a guy that does everything right on and off the field,' Minor said Saturday. 'You're getting a good football player and a better person.'
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The Patriots ended up with the last pick in the draft after a deal with the Chiefs. That was all right with Minor, who sounded like someone who was ready to embrace the 'Irrelevant' honor.
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'I love it because I've never been a highly recruited guy. I've never been one of the top guys. So, really this isn't anything new to me,' he said. 'I'm going to just go out here and do what I got to do, put my head down and grind, like I always have.
'It's just fuel to my fire. I'm going to just continue to work and I'm excited for this opportunity.'
Over the years, Moore has connected with some of the other members of the fraternity, including offensive lineman Matt Elliott, who was taken last in 1992. The two ended up working in medical sales together.
'Really, it was great for me,' Moore said. 'I was in Sports Illustrated. I was getting interviewed all the time. I still get calls about it. When Brock Purdy went to the Super Bowl, people were calling me. That's 30 years after I was drafted.'
Moore, who was a teammate of head coach Mike Vrabel during the 2001 season in New England, sounded an optimistic note about the future of the franchise.
'All the guys I played with are now coaches,' he said with a laugh. 'Now, I'm seeing all my teammates' kids get drafted. That's the crazy thing; when you start to see your teammates' kids get drafted.
'But it's a cool experience. I'm very happy the Patriots got the pick. I hope the kid does well. We could definitely use some juice in that locker room this season. I'll be rooting for him.'
Christopher Price can be reached at
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