Raider Camp : Top Draft Pick Hester Reports After Signing 5-Year Contract

The Raiders’ No. 1 draft choice, Jessie (the Jet) Hester, having signed a five-year, $1,808,000 contract, arrived in rookie camp Tuesday, giving the team 100% attendance for the first time this summer.

The veterans will report Thursday. Only center Dave Dalby and linebacker Bob Nelson are unsigned, though there has been speculation about Marcus Allen’s arrival. Allen is described as being less than enchanted with his salary. A club official said Allen’s contract is in the process of being renegotiated.

Hester got a $605,000 signing bonus and a first-year salary of $135,000, escalating to $360,000 by his fifth season. There is also $400,000 in bonuses.

His agent, Mike Blatt, and the Raiders’ Steve Ortmayer reached agreement late Monday night, making Hester the first first-round wide receiver in the draft to sign, a few hours ahead of the 49ers’ Jerry Rice.

Rice, the third wide receiver picked in the draft, signed for $8,000 less than Hester, the fourth wide receiver picked. By that margin, the Raiders retained their image of paying top dollar.

Said Blatt, from his Stockton office: “The Raiders were super. I never had an angry word with them. Steve Ortmayer is a gentleman. He’s one of the few men I’ve dealt with who said, ‘Let’s think about the client. What is he going to have in his pocket at the end of this contract?’

“The Raiders are fair to their veterans. Jessie signed a five-year contract but if he turns out to All-World in his third year, they’re going to renegotiate.”

A tie may be like kissing your philosophical opposite, but that was what the Raider rookies had to settle for in Thousand Oaks, a 13-13 standoff in their scrimmage with the rookies of the Dallas Cowboys.

Rusty Hilger, the Raiders’ No. 6 pick from Oklahoma State who arrived in camp only Sunday, got a good chunk of the time at quarterback. He completed 10 of 14 passes for 189 yards and a touchdown, on a 51-yard play to running back Robert Johnson.

Rich Campbell went 7 for 8 for 109 yards and a touchdown, a 44-yarder to Rod Barksdale.

Russ Jensen, the alumnus of the Express and Cal Lutheran, was 1 for 6 and threw an interception. By playing time, the fight for No. 3 quarterback--should one be retained--appears to be between Campbell and Hilger.

Raider Coach Tom Flores said about Campbell: “I think Rich is getting a little better grasp on what we’re doing. And I’m glad Rusty Hilger got an opportunity to play as much. I thought Rusty looked pretty good for the first time out.”

The Cowboys scored on a four-yard run by Robert Lavette, their fourth-round pick from Georgia Tech, and a 12-yard pass from Steve Pelleur to William Cowley.

The session was open, one of the few times the public will ever see a Raider practice. Thousand Oaks is Cowboy country, though there were some cheers when the Raiders did something.

Said Flores, grinning: “We are in Southern California. We should have some fans down here.”

Raider middle guard Mitch Willis blocked one Cowboy extra point. The Raiders lost their chance to kick the winning extra point on a bad snap.

Raider Notes

“What usually happens in these things,” said Raider executive assistant Al LoCasale late in the long drill, “is someone puts in a fresh receiver, after everyone else has been out there two hours and he runs by everyone and catches a touchdown pass.” Moments later, the Cowboys put in Mel Lattany, a world-class sprinter, who promptly caught a 53-yard pass, setting up the second Cowboy touchdown. . . . Lattany, a free agent who hasn’t played football since high school, said he ran a 4.29-second 40-yard dash. For comparison, the Bears’ Willie Gault ran a 4.35 and Jessie Hester ran a 4.45. . . . Lattany, who is listed at 170 pounds and looks lighter, asked if a man can’t get hurt in this game: “If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen. It’s hot but I’m hanging in.”