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Succop: Call him ‘Mr. Clairvoyant’
Dubious draft slot distinction aside, Succop has kicked for Chiefs’ special teams coach
Ryan Succop
Erik Campos/ecampos@thestate.com
Written by JOSEPH PERSON
jperson@thestate.com
Posted on 04.27.09
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survey:
When the second day of the NFL draft started Sunday, Ryan Succop told friends he thought the Kansas City Chiefs might take him with the final pick of the draft.
Succop did not think much about what that distinction would mean. But after the Chiefs selected Succop with the 256th and last pick, the South Carolina kicker has become well versed with the perks that come with being “Mr. Irrelevant.”
And while the all-expenses-paid trip to California in June for a week of dinners and festivities will be fun, Succop is more concerned about his trip to Kansas City next month for the Chiefs’ minicamp.
“I’m looking forward to all that and that’ll all be really cool,” Succop said of the Mr. Irrelevant activities. “But my focus right now is continuing to prepare and train the best I can, and go out to Kansas City and make a difference this year.”
Succop is the first USC player to wear the Mr. Irrelevant tag, started 34 years ago by Paul Salata to celebrate the draft’s “underdog.”
The NFL Network’s broadcast crew had a big laugh when Salata announced Succop as the Chiefs’ choice, commenting on the appropriateness of a kicker being Mr. Irrelevant.
But Succop says he has a great opportunity with the Chiefs, whose special teams coach flew to Columbia last week to work him out. Kansas City’s lone returning kicker is Connor Barth, who hit 10 of 12 field goals his rookie season but did not make a kick longer than 45 yards.
“Ryan has a much stronger leg than Connor Barth,” said Succop’s agent, Joel Turner, who also represents Chiefs quarterback Tyler Thigpen. “If they didn’t need (Succop), they certainly wouldn’t have drafted him.”
Even if it was with the last pick.
Reach Person at (803) 771-8496.
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