The wait was a little longer than Herman Johnson had hoped for, but the reward was just as satisfying on the second day of the NFL draft.

The former Denton High School and Louisiana State University standout offensive lineman camped out at a Dallas hotel on Saturday night for a draft party and waited through two rounds for his name to be called. Because he wasn’t chosen then, Johnson returned on Sunday and waited awhile longer before the Arizona Cardinals selected him with the 31st pick of the fifth round, making him the 167th pick overall.

LSU sports information/Steve Franz

Former Denton High School and LSU offensive lineman Herman Johnson (79), shown here in a game against Georgia last season, was picked by the Arizona Cardinals in the fifth round of the NFL draft Sunday.

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“I am really excited,” Johnson said just after being selected. “I am really glad I got picked up and am anxious to get down to Arizona and get ready for the minicamps, training camps and the season.”

Cardinals coaches called Johnson just before the team’s turn in the fifth round, so that he could be sure to be in front of the television when his name was called.

Johnson was an Associated Press first-team All-American and started 37 of the 49 games he played in during his LSU career.

Scout Inc. rated Johnson No. 5 among guards in the draft, although opinions varied as to which round he would be selected in.

“I was hoping to get taken earlier, but I am really excited to get picked up,” Johnson said. “It was nerve-racking to wait that long.”

Johnson is a mammoth lineman at 6 feet 7 inches and 364 pounds, in the same mold as former Cardinals lineman Leonard Davis, who now plays for the Cowboys.

“Herman is a tremendous football player who plays a huge role on this team, both on and off the field,” LSU coach Les Miles said in December when Johnson was named an All-American. “If they gave an All-America award for a person’s character, values and integrity, Herman would be on that list as well. He’s a team leader in every sense of the word and someone who I have enjoyed coaching over the past four years.”

Johnson was one of the top-rated high school offensive linemen in the country after his career at Denton High, where he picked up the nickname “House.”

Johnson was named all-state as a senior in 2003. Rivals.com, a Web site that covers college football recruiting, ranked him 30th on its list of the top 100 college prospects in the country in 2004.

Johnson participated in the U.S. Army All-America Bowl and was offered scholarships by the University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma State University and the University of Houston.

He passed on those offers to return to his home state, where he was the one of the largest babies ever born at 15 pounds, 14 ounces.

The decision paid off when the Olla, La., native developed into an NFL prospect while playing for the Tigers.

“It’s been a long road to mature as a player in high school and college,” Johnson said. “It took a lot of work and dedication that is paying off now.”

BRETT VITO can be reached at 940-566-6870. His e-mail address is bvito@dentonrc.com .