When Jimmy Garoppolo suffered a season-ending foot injury in the first quarter of the San Francisco 49ers’ home game against the Miami Dolphins in Week 13 of the 2022-23 season, 49ers’ backup quarterback Brock Purdy immediately shed the title of Mr. Irrelevant and became highly relevant in the Niners’ playoff push.
For this year’s Mr. Irrelevant — a title forced upon the player selected with the final pick in each year’s draft — it took one second to acquire relevancy … at least for one BetMGM customer.
Cody of Ohio entered BetMGM’s Draft Predictor Challenge, submitting predictions to 10 questions ahead of the 2023 draft. And when the Los Angeles Rams drafted Toledo defensive end Desjuan Johnson with the final pick in the seventh round on Saturday, April 29, Cody won $25,000.
“I just got lucky. I normally never have that kind of luck,” he told BetMGM after receiving the winnings, which he plans to use for his kids’ savings and a family vacation.
Entering the final pick, nine of the 10 questions were settled:
- Who will be the first overall pick?
- How many quarterbacks will be taken in the 1st round?
- Who will be the first wide receiver taken in the draft?
- How many wide receivers will be taken in the first round?
- How many offensive linemen will be taken in the first round?
- How many defensive linemen will be taken in the first round?
- How many trades will happen live in the first round?
- Will more offensive or defensive players be taken in the first round?
- Which conference will have the most players drafted?
Only question No. 9 was pending: What will be the position of Mr. Irrelevant?
Cody selected option “c. Offensive/Defensive Lineman.” Before the Rams took Johnson, there hadn’t been a defensive linemen or offensive lineman selected with the final pick since 2011 (Cheta Ozougwu).
He correctly answered eight of the 10 questions; only missed question Nos. 2 — he answered four quarterbacks, one more than the correct answer of three — and 7 — he answered three trades, three fewer than the correct answer of six.
If the Rams opted for a cornerback like Alabama’s Eli Ricks, a wide receiver like West Virginia’s Bryce Ford-Wheaton, or any other player at a position other than lineman, Cody’s BetMGM account would be $25,000 lighter this week.
Visit the BetMGM online sportsbook for additional sports betting promotions and future free-to-play sweepstakes.
