Saints’ Rueben Mayes May Be Cream of the NFL Rookie Crop

Though it may not yet rank with the Elway-Marino-Kelly crop of 1983, this year’s NFL rookie crop is beginning to look extremely solid, even with many of the first-rounders just beginning to assert themselves.

With the season reaching the midway mark, only about half the first-round picks have made a major contribution to their teams--in part because of injury, in part because many were late to sign and late to arrive in training camp.

But the lower rounds have produced an unusual number of first-year achievers, led by Rueben Mayes, the Canadian-born running back from Washington State taken by the New Orleans Saints on the third round.

Mayes rushed for 172 yards, second highest single-game total in New Orleans history last Sunday, even while sitting out much of the second half in a 38-7 win over Tampa Bay. His 480 yards put him seventh in the NFC, and he is averaging 5.9 yards a carry, the best average in the league.

A 5-foot-11, 201-pounder, Mayes combines deceptive speed with instinct--last Sunday, he was supposed to hand the ball off on a reverse when he saw an opening, kept the ball, and sped 34 yards.

“We knew he was good when we drafted him and then we saw him in training camp and we saw even more ability,” says Coach Jim Mora. “We didn’t expect he would do quite this well so early. He’s dedicated, conscientious and mature for a young player.”

Says tackle Stan Brock: “It sure makes it nice to have a guy like that back there. I don’t think people know how fast he is. Most of his yards are Rueben . . . all of them are Rueben.”

Add Nathan Wonsley, the free agent who had two 100-yard games for Tampa Bay before rotating back to the bench when James Wilder returned, and Ronnie Harmon, one of Buffalo’s two first-round choices. Harmon finally got some action last Sunday, carrying 15 times for 86 yards as the Bills beat Indianapolis for their second win of the season.

Harmon is one of 26 first-rounders on NFL rosters--Cleveland’s pick of Bernie Kosar in the 1985 supplemental draft eliminated one choice and Bo Jackson, of course, opted to play baseball. Of the 26 others, 12 are either starting or have made significant contributions, such as Minnesota’s Gerald Robinson, a designated pass rusher who had 2 1/2 sacks in last Sunday’s 23-7 upset of the Bears.

Of the others, offensive linemen John Rienstra of the Steelers and Jim Dombrowski of the Saints were starting until they were hurt, while running back Reggie Dupard of the Patriots and defensive end Bob Buczkowski of the Raiders have been on injured reserve all season.

Chuck Long of the Lions and Jim Everett, who was traded from the Oilers to the Rams a month ago, are doing what most rookie quarterbacks do--sitting and learning the offense, although Coach John Robinson is hinting that Everett may get his chance soon. A couple of others, running back Neal Anderson of the Bears and defensive end Eric Dorsey of the Giants are being given time to learn because they are not immediately needed.

The only rookie quarterback who has played is Jack Trudeau of the Colts, a second-round pick forced into action by Gary Hogeboom’s season-ending shoulder separation. Given the circumstances, he has been decent--five touchdowns, seven interceptions, a 58.7 rating.

The non-first rounders include Mayes, Wonsley and Ens. Napoleon McCallum of the Raiders, the fourth-rounder who would gone much higher had it been known the Navy would let him play.

Others include:

Wide receiver Hassan Jones (5th-round pick) and linebacker Jesse Solomon (12) of the Vikings; wide receiver Ernest Givins (2) of the Oilers; cornerbacks Tim McKyer (3) and Don Griffin (6) and defensive end Charles Haley (4) of the 49ers; wide receiver Solomon Miller (6) and cornerback Mark Collins (2) of the Giants; defensive backs Lewis Billups (2) and David Fulcher (3) of the Bengals; running back Garry James of the Lions; linebacker Dino Hackett (2) and punter Lewis Colbert (8) of the Chiefs; kicker John Lee and running back-kick returner Vai Sikahema of the Cardinals; linebacker John Offerdahl (2), defensive end T.J. Turner (3) and wide receiver James Pruitt (4) of the Dolphins; linebackers Alonzo Johnson (2) and Junior Tautalatasi (10) of the Eagles; wide receiver Webster Slaughter (2) of the Browns; running back Kenneth Davis (2) of the Packers; running back Dalton Hilliard (3) of the Saints; defensive end Terry Unrein (3) of the Chargers; guard Tom Newberry (2) of the Rams, defensive back Patrick Hunter (3) and kick returner Bobby Jo Edmonds (5) of the Seahawks, and safety Craig Swoope of the Buccaneers.

Right now, the offensive rookie of the year would probably be Mayes with wide receiver Mike Sherrard of Dallas coming on; the defensive rookie either Atlanta nose tackle Tony Casillas, second choice in the draft or defensive end Leslie O’Neal of San Diego, who was the eighth pick.

The biggest busts? Try offensive tackles James FitzPatrick of the Chargers and Mike Haight of the Jets and defensive end Jon Hand, third pick in the draft but fighting for playing time with the Colts.

Boom teams? Even with first-choice Joe Kelly just starting to play, Billups and Fulcher are starters for the Bengals, and the second first-round choice, Tim McGee, is becoming a receiving threat.

The bust team? Make it the Jets, who have just two draft choices on their roster, Haight and running back eighth-round pick Nuu Faaola, who was cut, brought back and is barely hanging on.