Rashard Mendenhall was drafted No. 23 overall by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2008 NFL Draft out of Illinois College. 72 regular-season games · 4 seasons as a starter · 29 career approximate value
2008 NFL Draft · Rd 1, Pick 23 · #23 overall
Rashard Mendenhall Illinois College Draft
Rashard Mendenhall was drafted No. 23 overall by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2008 NFL Draft out of Illinois College. 72 regular-season games · 4 seasons as a starter · 29 career approximate value
- Overall pick
- #23
- Round
- 1
- Draft class
- 2008
- NFL games
- 72
- Years as starter
- 4
- Career AV
- 2917th at Illinois College
The pick
How Rashard Mendenhall came off the board in 2008.
- Position
- Running back RB
- Measurables
- 5'10" · 225 lbs
- Pre-draft board
- No. 7 prospect96.0 grade
- Side of the ball
- Offense
NFL career
72 regular-season games · 4 seasons as a starter · 29 career approximate value
- Games played
- 72
- Seasons as a starter
- 4
- Career approximate value
- 2917th among Illinois College picks
- AV with the drafting club
- 2690% of career value
- Final season
- 20135 years after the draft
Around pick 23
Who came off the board on either side of Rashard Mendenhall.
USC
Arkansas
East Carolina · 1× All-Pro · 3× Pro Bowl
South Florida · 1× Pro Bowl
Other RB picks from Illinois College
The program's most accomplished players at the same spot.
Chase Brown
RB · CIN · 2023
Illinois College
#37
Robert Holcombe
RB · LAR · 1998
Illinois College
#62
Keith Jones
RB · ATL · 1989
Illinois College
#236
Howard Griffith
RB · IND · 1991
Illinois College
#57
Mikel Leshoure
RB · DET · 2011
Illinois College
#76
Ke'Shawn Vaughn
RB · TB · 2020
Illinois College
About this draft profile
Last updated Aug 24, 2026
Rashard Mendenhall in the 2008 NFL Draft
Rashard Mendenhall is a Running back out of Illinois College selected No. 23 overall by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2008 NFL Draft. 72 regular-season games · 4 seasons as a starter · 29 career approximate value Illinois College has produced 120 NFL draft picks since 1980.
Where this data comes from
Pick order and career outcomes come from the nflverse draft archive; position, measurables, and conference at the time of the draft come from the college feed. Career columns stay empty until a player logs regular-season snaps.
Frequently asked questions
Where was Rashard Mendenhall drafted?
Rashard Mendenhall was selected No. 23 overall by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2008 NFL Draft (Rd 1, Pick 23). Full pick detail at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/players/2008/rashard-mendenhall.
What college did Rashard Mendenhall play for?
Rashard Mendenhall played college football at Illinois College in the Big Ten. See every Illinois College draft pick at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/schools/illinois-college-blueboys.
How did Rashard Mendenhall's NFL career turn out?
72 regular-season games · 4 seasons as a starter · 29 career approximate value Career outcome data at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/players/2008/rashard-mendenhall.