Caleb Wilson earned the Mr. Irrelevant tag as the final pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, but the UCLA tight end still has family bragging rights.
Oct 13, 2018; Berkeley, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins tight end Caleb Wilson (81) runs the ball against the California Golden Bears in the second quarter at California Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports – 11437358
After selecting Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray with the No. 1 overall pick on Thursday, the Arizona Cardinals closed the draft by taking Wilson with the 254th selection on Saturday.
Wilson led the Bruins in receptions (60) and receiving yards (965) in 2018, setting school records for his position in both categories. He caught four touchdown passes.
In three seasons at UCLA, the 6-foot-4, 240-pound Wilson caught 114 passes for 1,675 yards and five scores in 24 games.
His father, Chris Wilson, was not the last player selected in the 1992 draft, but he went 77 picks later than Caleb. Taken in the 12th round by the Chicago Bears, the former Oklahoma linebacker was pick No. 331 out of 336 that year.
Chris Wilson, now 50, never made an NFL roster, but has enjoyed a long coaching career in college and the pros. As a defensive line coach with the Philadelphia Eagles from 2016-18, he helped the team win a championship in Super Bowl LII.
The final pick of the draft has been referred to as Mr. Irrelevant since 1976. The town of Newport Beach, Calif., hosts Irrelevant Week in the lucky pick’s honor each summer. This year’s festivities run from June 28 to July 2.
“I just embrace it,” Wilson told reporters on a conference call after his selection. “All I needed was my name to get called and the opportunity. It’s a lifelong dream as a kid to be picked in the NFL draft, so just to see my name pop up on the screen and the happiness on my family’s face.
“I just embraced it all. It’s an honor, to be honest.”
Mr. Irrelevant of the 2018 draft was SMU wide receiver Trey Quinn, who played in three games and made nine catches for 75 yards and a touchdown as a Washington Redskins rookie.
—Field Level Media