Who Was Mr. Irrelevant 2026 in the NFL Draft? Everything to Know About the Last Pick

The term “Mr. Irrelevant” refers to the last pick in the NFL draft. The reference has been going on since 1976 and there have been some players who have turned the tag around.

One of them is San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy, who, despite getting selected last in the 2022 NFL draft, went on to lead the team to a Super Bowl game a couple of seasons ago. That’s why the “Mr. Irrelevant” reference is popular in NFL circles.

Who Was Mr. Irrelevant 2026 in the NFL Draft?

The title of “Mr. Irrelevant” in the 2026 NFL Draft went to Buffalo Bulls linebacker Red Murdock, who was picked by the Denver Broncos as the 257th overall pick.

Though he was picked last, his college resume appears great. He recorded over 140 tackles in back-to-back seasons and set an FBS record with 17 career forced fumbles. He was also an All-American and one of the most productive defenders in college football.

Murdock was born on September 24, 2003, in Petersburg, Virginia. He was one of six children to his single mother. He attended Hopwell High School, where, in his junior year, he and New England Patriots running back TreVeyon Henderson led the school to a Virginia High School League championship. After missing most of the games that season due to a hip injury, he underwent surgery in the offseason. He finished with an associate’s degree at Brightpoint Community College.

Murdock didn’t get any offer from any Division I school, leading him to complete a post-graduate year at Fork Union Military Academy. He led them to an undefeated season and Buffalo came calling as the only college football program to offer him a scholarship in Division I.

After playing five games as a freshman in 2022, where he recorded six tackles and a pass deflection, he decided to redshirt. The following season, he amassed 60 tackles with nine and a half being for a loss, two sacks, and four forced fumbles.

Murdock’s most notable college football moment came in the 2025 Bahamas Bowl, where he was named Defensive MVP after recording 13 tackles with three being for a loss, an interception which he returned for a touchdown in the win against Liberty. In 2024, he ranked second in the country with 156 tackles to go along with two sacks, an interception, seven forced fumbles, and a touchdown. He broke Buffalo linebacker Khalil Mack’s NCAA record for career forced fumbles (17) in 2025.

Now, it remains to be seen if he can make any impression during the training camp to earn a cut into the main roster of the regular season.

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