Alabama's Jaylen Key is 2024 Mr. Irrelevant

There's a famous phrase that goes something like "save the best for last," and that's what the NFL does every year around this time.

The 2024 NFL Draft has come and gone, but not before the New York Jets closed it out by selecting Alabama safety Jaylen Key with the final pick, or as we like to call it "Mr Irrelevant."

For the first time, this year's draft took place in Detroit, Michigan with record attendance showing up for the three-day event. 

It was an extra special week as the family of last year's final pick -- defensive end Desjuan Johnson of the Los Angeles Rams – got to show the Irrelevant Team around, playing host in Motown.

Speaking of Motown, when the music hit for the 257th and final pick with the Jets on the clock, they went with Key to wrap up the festivities in Detroit.

Key comes from Quincy, Florida and graduated high school from Amos P. Godby in 2018 where he was the No. 51 ranked recruit in the state of Florida as a two-way player at defensive back and wide receiver.

Key played his first five collegiate seasons for UAB where he starred for the Blazers before transferring to Alabama for his final year as a sixth-year senior.

During his time at UAB, Key's senior season in 2022 was his best as he was named an All-Conference USA Honorable Mention. In 13 games that year, he recorded 60 total tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, three interceptions, two forced fumbles and one pass defensed.

That earned him the ability to go play at Alabama in Nick Saban's final season where he had an interception in his team debut during the season opener against Middle Tennessee State. He started every game except two in his lone season with the Crimson Tide, finishing with 60 total tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, one interception and one pass defensed.

He missed two games due to a thigh injury but wound up wrapping up his college career in the Rose Bowl when he had four tackles in Alabama's loss to Michigan.

Overall in his five college seasons, Key had 93 solo tackles, 45 assisted tackles, 135 total tackles, 6.0 tackles for loss, 1.0 sack, four interceptions, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery in 36 games.

Key comes into the NFL listed at 6'0" and 208 pounds. He participated in the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, running a 4.6 40-yard dash and posting a 36.5" vertical jump.

The 24-year-old was projected to go around the seventh round in the 2024 NFL Draft and wound up in a good spot with the Jets, where he will play under a defensive-minded head coach in Robert Saleh and join a talented secondary that includes Sauce Gardner and D.J. Reed.

New York focused on the offensive side of the ball in this draft though and Key was the only safety they selected, so he may have a chance to compete for playing time right away in 2024. Key's strength is using his intelligence to identify route combinations and go get the ball in the middle of the field, which will fit well with the Jets' defensive scheme.

When asked about the feeling of being drafted, there were no words. “I was full of excitement, aboslutely full of excitment,” explains Jaylen.

“We’re excited to celebrate our first Irrelevant Jet player and bring him out to Newport Beach,” says Irrelevant Week CEO Melanie Salata Fitch. “When you’re a Jet, you’re a Jet all the way!” 

The Irrelevant Week Team is looking forward to celebrating Jaylen Key when he makes his way out to Newport Beach, CA at the end of June.

Irrelevant Week was started in 1976 by Paul Salata, an NFL alum and philanthropist who believed in doing something nice for someone for no reason. His daughter, Melanie Salata Fitch, serves as the CEO of Irrelevant Week representing Paul's vision to celebrate the underdog with a series of events in Newport Beach. Over the years, Irrelevant Week has raised over $1 million for charities across Southern California including Orange County Youth Sports Foundation (OCYSF), Serving Our Youth (SOY), and Serving People in Need (SPIN). For more information, please visit mrirrelevant.org or contact the team at irrelevantweek@gmail.com.

-- Daniel Starkand, managing editor of Lakers Nation and Rams Newswire