The Northwestern State safety is Mr. Irrelevant, thanks to being chosen last in the NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears. The name was created by a Southern California foundation a quarter century ago that annually honors the last player drafted. But for three years at Northwestern State, Green was anything but irrelevant.

In fact, the 6-foot, 186-pound safety was shocked he was taken so low. Some projections had Green as high as the third round.

"It surprised me a whole lot," Green said.

Green performed impressively for NFL scouts who had the work ethic to make it off the beaten path down to Natchitoches, La. What they saw was a lithe defender from a secondary-rich program who can run a 4.59-second 40. When all the notes were in, Green was projected to be a middle-round pick.

When reality set in, Green was the caboose of the draft. In fact, there were two Southwest Texas State players from Green's conference (Southland) chosen ahead of him. Northwestern State assistant Jack Curtis hadn't heard of either.

That's life at the bottom of football's food chain.

"I was so disappointed," said Curtis, who just completed his seventh season under head coach Sam Goodwin. "He's the fourth player in four years I've had drafted. He's probably the best all-around player I've had -- and the latest pick."

Part of the snub most likely has to do with his measurables. He's a 'tweener, not big enough to be a safety and perhaps not tall enough to cover NFL receivers as a cornerback. It doesn't help, though, that Northwestern State is a Division I-AA school. While drafted I-AA players are not a rarity -- there were two in the first round Sunday -- there are always questions about level of competition.

For example, Northwestern State will play two I-A opponents next season, but they are Central Florida and Louisiana-Lafayette.

Division I-AA schools offer less scholarships (63) than I-A schools (85) and presumably have less talent.

"We really can't miss at this level," Curtis said. "I-AA is probably the toughest level to coach in. You're trying to be as big time as you can. There's the (lack of) money factor. We have the same academic factors as a I-A team."

Green is from nearby Ruston, home of I-A Louisiana Tech. He might have gone there had he not been a Prop 48 casualty. Northwestern State could afford to take a chance. Goodwin is a shrewd evaluator of talent, having had two players taken in the draft last season who played one year of high school football.

This week Demon safety B.J. Williams signed a free-agent contract with San Francisco having never played high school football.

With virtually no television coverage, the best way for a I-AA player to measure himself is against I-A competition. Two years ago, Green had 18 tackles and an interception against Missouri. He was the defensive MVP of the Blue-Gray All-Star Game after last season, recording 11 tackles while splitting time at safety.

"The Missouri coaches called us after the game and bragged on us," Curtis said. "They said, 'Who is No. 5?'"

Green was No. 12 but had to switch during his sophomore year after the number, worn by former quarterback Bobby Hebert, was retired. It took Green's unique draft position to highlight other prominent NFL Demons -- Hall of Fame tight end Jackie Smith, receiver Mark Duper, running back Joe Delaney and linebacker Gary Reasons.

"When I went up there (Montgomery, Ala.) and practiced with those guys," Green said of the Blue-Gray Game, "I saw they were no bigger and saw that they had the same level of talent as we did."

Michael Green was the defensive MVP of the Blue-Gray Game last season after recording 11 tackles.(Provided to SportsLine)

When it came time to analyze his ability, though, television draft experts announced Green was from "Louisiana-Lafayette." By then his emotions had been played. Anticipation gave way to disappointment, which evolved into relief. At least Green is in the league.

As the last pick, his odds of sticking in the NFL aren't good. Only a handful of Mr. Irrelevants have stuck on rosters. But because of the last-pick "honor," Green will get a week's vacation in Los Angeles, tour Disneyland and be part of a parade.

He hopes that coming from Northwestern State provides a good springboard. Goodwin is entering his 18th season having to sometimes scour the landscape for talent.

Three players were drafted off the '99 team. That was as many players as Penn State and UCLA.

In 17 seasons, 36 Demons have signed NFL contracts. Three more free agents were in the process of signing NFL deals Monday. Next season, expect 310-pound offensive lineman Albert Traylor to be drafted.

Green has been part of four Southland titles -- two in football and two in track. He is the sixth Northwestern State defensive back to be drafted since 1990. Kenny Wright, now a starter, was taken in the fourth round by the Vikings last year. Jermaine Jones was taken by the Jets last year in the sixth round and now is with the Bears.

Northwestern State's football heritage is there, it's just hard to find. Goodwin is 102-88-3 in 17 seasons and Kansas City Chiefs backup offensive lineman and former Demon Marcus Spears has the distinction of being only the second I-AA player picked by the Football Writers Association of America for its All-America team in 1993.

You might recognize the first I-AA All-American -- Jerry Rice.

"I think we'll be talking about Mike as being the last player taken in the draft," Curtis said, "and being a starter in the NFL."

What were they thinking?

The draft results are in, it's time to give out the annual Shelley Long Award for horrible judgment.

You remember Shelley Long, don't you? She left the long-running, highly successful Cheers to pursue, as they say, "other projects." It was a case of an overrated television actor overrating her talents. Long hasn't done a darn thing since Cheers even worth mentioning.

Like Long, these underclassmen won't get a second chance to reconsider their decision to enter the draft early.

Rodregis Brooks, cornerback, Alabama-Birmingham, seventh round, Colts. Unless he defies draft history and actually makes the Colts, Brooks will forever be known as a great footnote to the 1999 college season.

The Blazers star was injured during the East Carolina game and had to have his jersey cut off his body so doctors could examine a severe "stinger." Brooks originally felt numbness in his extremities and was rushed to the hospital, but was quickly ruled OK. He was ready to return to the game when he realized he didn't have a jersey. Brooks' mother came down out of the stands and literally gave her son the jersey off her back.

The loving son had given his mother his jersey from the 1998 season.

When Brooks returned, he returned a punt to set up a touchdown and ran back an interception to beat the Pirates. It was the Blazers' first victory over a ranked team.

Brooks would have been a fifth-year senior in 2000 and probably figured he would never be hotter, having tied for the lead nationally in interceptions.

Only the Colts thought so, making Brooks the 238th pick.

Ronney Jenkins, running back, Northern Arizona, not selected. The former BYU star was suspended twice for violation of the school's honor code.

How do we put this? Ummm, ol' Ronney was discovered having pre-marital sex.

Never mind the details, Jenkins was booted out of Mormon territory and ended up at Northern Arizona where he was an effective, but small, back. Given the current state of the NFL, his size probably had a lot more to do with his free-agent status than his morals.

Shyrone Stith, running back, Virginia Tech, seventh, Jaguars. There was nothing wrong with this move that a couple of inches and another year at Virginia Tech couldn't solve.

Stith ran for 1,119 yards as a senior but is still only 5-8. That's great if you're Barry Sanders, but Stith is unproven, getting the bulk of his yards last season against James Madison, Alabama-Birmingham and rebuilding Clemson.

The only thing at this point that suggests Stith will be a Hall-of-Fame runner is his middle name. It matches the first name of an infamous accused double-murderer turned golfer.

Orenthal.

And finally, our winner of the "Shelley" …

Shaun Peterson, running back, North Iowa Area Community College, not selected. Don't worry, this is not a case of the NFL simply missing on a sleeper.

"He played here two games his freshman year then left at the end of semester," said North Iowa coach Dick Ramsey, who hasn't seen Peterson in almost three years. "He was an NCAA Division III player at best. He was unproven."

We'll just have to take your word on it, coach.

Michigan's soft spot

Michigan keeps pumping them out and the NFL, for whatever reason, keeps drafting them.

We're talking quarterbacks. Tom Brady became the latest Wolverine quarterback to attempt to steal a paycheck when he was drafted in the sixth round by New England.

OK, so it wasn't a great year for quarterbacks overall. At Michigan, it's never a great year for NFL quarterbacks. When your examples are Jim Harbaugh (first round by the Bears in 1987) and Elvis Grbac (eighth round by the 49ers in 1993), it's best to brag about your school on Saturdays only.

Harbaugh has had his moments, but has never seemed worth a No. 1. Grbac is the living, breathing example of your average NFL quarterback. Not real good, not real bad, making $4 million per year.

Brady is a fine competitor and all, but seems destined to carry a clipboard the rest of his NFL life. He still has to go some to surpass the achievements of Bob Timberlake who was drafted by the NFL and AFL in 1965. Or consider Todd Collins. In five short years, Collins has risen to starter at Buffalo and fallen to third-string at Kansas City.

All this, Tom, can be yours if you follow Maize and Blue form.

A parting cheap shot

It wouldn't be offseason college football without a gratuitous knee to the breadbasket of Notre Dame.

The program that gets the best high school players in the nation and turns them into couch potatoes during bowl season has done it again. The record reflects it, now so does the draft record.

SportsLine.com listed 12 draftable Irish going into the weekend. Only one was picked: quarterback Jarious Jackson, in the seventh round by Denver.

Come to think of it, Jackson might not have far to go to become the starter. Who's the starter out there in Denver these days? Oh yeah, Brian Griese.

Michigan guy.