When you have your first MLB draft eligible client selected by a team, whether it be in the first round or the fiftieth round, it is a great feeling. But with fifty rounds (plus a few supplemental rounds at the beginning), the MLB Amateur Draft has over 1,000 players drafted, leaving more than enough of an opportunity for an agent to get his feet wet if she does not mind going after a late round guy. The NBA and NFL drafts are entirely different beasts to tackle. Representing any player selected in the NFL draft is tough and in the two-round NBA draft is even more of a challenge. The very last pick in the MLB draft has a .00001% of making a big league roster. Many would think that the last pick in the NFL Draft, dubbed Mr. Irrelevant, is just as much of a long shot to make an active roster and that it may not be worth the time and money to recruit and then represent such a late round pick. Think again.
Guys like Bill Kenney, Marty Moore, Jim Finn, and Mike Green went from being the last pick of the draft to having successful NFL careers. Kenney made the Pro Bowl, Moore played in a Super Bowl, Finn was the starting FB for the New York Giants, and Green has been a safety with various teams (and is still in the league). And now Mr. Irrelevant 2008, David Vobora, will be making his presence felt in the NFL…in his rookie year. The former Idaho Vandal is expected to make his first start tomorrow at linebacker against the Miami Dolphins. This will be the first time that the last pick of the NFL draft will make his first professional start in his rookie season since Marty Moore, who was drafted in 1994. While I am a Dolphins fan, I am rooting for Vobora to have a successful first start.
2 replies on “Rookie Mr. Relevant”
Great post! I’d love to see a follow up blog post to hear about if it’s more rewarding (personally) for those kinds of players or is it just a case by case situation.
Mr. Irrelevant spends a week in Newport Beach, CA, gets a trophy, has a golf tournament, and gets roasted (among other things). In theory, the last pick should have the worst shot out of all draftees in succeeding; however, the huge press definitely gives such a player a large advantage over his 7th round peers. Look at this post alone. How many 7th rounders get a post on this site?