Manti Te'o was a notable absentee from the first round of the NFL Draft today.

The Notre Dame linebacker was not at Radio City Music Hall for the nationally-televised player draft.

Which was just as well because his name was not called out as one of the 32 first-round picks, leaving him to wait at least another day before knowing whether he has a future in the NFL.

His omission from the first round was not a huge surprise. He had been widely tipped to go either as a late first round pick or early second round pick but the scrutiny about his personal life has made a him a magnet for the American public.

Te'o became the source of public fascination and then ridicule earlier this year when it was discovered he was the victim of a hoax about a fake girlfriend who supposedly died, but never really existed.

Although he was an All-American player who finished runner-up in the Heisman Trophy, awarded to the best player in college football, his private life has superseded his sporting career.

He did not play at his best in the national championship game against Alabama and questions about his ability to make it in the NFL were raised after he performed poorly at the NFL Combine, where prospective players show off their skills.

Te'o watched the draft from Hawaii. His best chances of getting selected in the first round came and went when the New York Giants, the Chicag.