Better late than never

Rashard Mendenhall picked an apt place for his NFL draft party.

Family and friends showed up at the House of Blues in Chicago anticipating an early celebration, but Mendenhall had to sit around far longer than expected to learn his professional destination.

Rumored to be going as high as ninth overall to Cincinnati, the Big Ten's offensive player of the year remained in suspense for nearly two hours more before Pittsburgh picked him with the 23rd selection.

The Steelers were one of the few teams the Illinois tailback never envisioned pulling the trigger.

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"You're anxious as the picks go on and you want to get picked," Mendenhall said. "It's kind of nerve-racking. Getting picked is definitely a relief."

Speaking of relief, Mendenhall could find himself in that role with the defending AFC North champions.

Since the Steelers still have 27-year-old Willie Parker, who put up 4,012 yards and 23 total touchdowns over the last three seasons, Mendenhall doesn't have a clear path to immediate playing time.

Parker broke his right leg last December and missed the playoffs, but reports indicate he has enjoyed a smooth rehabilitation process.

"You're a competitor, you come in to play," Mendenhall said. "I can't really say (what will happen). Just go in and compete."

Mendenhall waited his turn at Illinois, and it paid off.

He obliterated several single-season school records -- including those for rushing yards (1,681) and touchdowns (19) -- while leading the Illini to their first Rose Bowl bid in 24 seasons.

Those statistics and his startling NFL combine numbers had most draftniks assuming Mendenhall would be long gone by the 23rd pick. ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. ranked him as the 10th-best player in the draft.

"I think he slid down a lot further than he should have," Kiper said on Saturday's broadcast.

Mendenhall was the fourth running back selected. He followed Arkansas' Darren McFadden (fourth to Oakland), Oregon's Jonathan Stewart (13th to Carolina) and Arkansas' Felix Jones (22nd to Dallas).

It sounds like Pittsburgh shared Kiper's view on Mendenhall.

"We had him rated very high on our board," Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said on ESPN. "It was a great opportunity for us to get what we think is a great player."

Who should still receive a decent payday. Last year's No. 23 selection, Kansas City wideout Dwayne Boye, signed a five-year deal that netted him $2.2 million in his rookie year.

Mendenhall is Illinois' first first-round draft choice since 1996 when Kevin Hardy and Simeon Rice went 2-3 to Jacksonville and Arizona, respectively.

He's the first Illini running back to go in the first round since Jim Grabowski, the Inverness resident who went to the Green Bay Packers ninth overall in 1966.

Two Irish selected

For the seventh time in the last nine years, Notre Dame didn't have a player tabbed in the first round.

But tight end John Carlson and defensive tackle Trevor Laws didn't have to wait much longer to learn where they'll start their pro careers.

Seattle traded up to snag Carlson with the 38th pick overall -- the seventh in the second round -- while Laws went 47th overall to Philadelphia.