Have the Houston Texans ever picked Mr. Irrelevant?

Brock Purdy is all the rage right now in the NFL. He's a Pro Bowler who also has MVP-caliber talent, and is in a system that makes the most of his skills. You'd be hard-pressed to remember that he was the last pick in the NFL Draft in 2022. His arrival with the San Francisco 49ers has made people rethink the concept of Mr. Irrelevant, otherwise known as the last pick in the NFL Draft.

Admittedly, the last pick in the draft isn't really one that has a historic amount of significance, so you'd be forgiven if you forgot the names of the pick over the years, or if you can even name another player aside from Purdy who went last and had a notable NFL career.

More importantly, you'd be forgiven if you forgot the Houston Texans selected last ever. In fact, you'd be forgiven if you forgot that it's happened more than once. That's right, the Texans have picked last in the NFL Draft three times since entering the league in 2022.

Over the last 22 years, no team, other than the Raiders, has had that many selections. The Texans and Raiders have three picks to close the draft each.

For the Houston Texans, they've not found any success comparable to that of Purdy of the 49ers.

Their most recent pick was Lonnie Ballentine, a safety out of Memphis. He went last to the Texans in 2014. Ballentine lasted just three years with the Texans before getting released. He'd never make another NFL roster. Three years prior in 2011, the Texans drafted linebacker Cheta Ozougwu. Ozougwu was a linebacker at Rice and he lasted just one year with the Texans. After that, he went on to play for the Chicago Bears and New Orleans Saints.

Lastly, and most interestingly, the Texans made history of sorts when in 2002 they had the first and last pick overall. As 2002 was their inaugural season they did something I believe has never been replicated; they had the first and last pick in not only an expansion draft but the NFL Draft as well. While they were the only expansion team that season, it still counts even if it's a technicality.

The Texans took Jacksonville Jaguars offensive tackle Tony Boselli first in the expansion draft, followed by David Carr first in the NFL Draft. The last picks for both drafts were Dallas Cowboys tight end Johnny Huggins in the expansion draft, and then UNVL defensive tackle Ahmad Miller in the NFL Draft.