NFL DRAFT 1987 : Cardinals Order Up Stouffer : St. Louis Pulls Off the Biggest Surprise of Draft Day

In college football last year, they were household names mainly in provincial households: Kelly Stouffer . . . Cornelius Bennett . . . John Clay . . . Alonzo Highsmith . . . Brent Fullwood . . . Jim Harbaugh . . . Donald Evans . . . Christian Okoye . . .

But on Tuesday they moved under a brighter spotlight to stay until they star or bomb in the National Football League.

In the league’s 52nd annual draft, the 35th player selected was Okoye, the Nigerian fullback from Azusa Pacific, who went to the Kansas City Chiefs in the second round.

The sixth player selected was Stouffer, the Colorado State quarterback who went to the St. Louis Cardinals in the first round in one of the biggest surprises of recent draft history.

After the lottery had begun with five solid picks--quarterback Vinny Testaverde, linebacker Bennett, running backs Highsmith and Fullwood, and linebacker Mike Junkin--the Cardinals ignored 20 or 25 higher-ranking prospects to take Stouffer, the second of the day’s four first-round quarterbacks.

“I guess this shows that (the experts) don’t know a whole lot, obviously,” the Colorado State quarterback said when reporters located him at his girlfriend’s house in Rapid City, S.D.

The Cardinals had hoped to peddle their veteran first-stringer, Neil Lomax, to the Raiders, who didn’t bite.

Before the first round ended four hours later, the Chicago Bears also had another quarterback--their fifth. He is Harbaugh of Michigan, whom some had called just another Big Ten passer.

“We might have to have a five-hour practice to get all the throwing in,” said Bear Coach Mike Ditka, who still employs four former starting quarterbacks: Jim McMahon, Doug Flutie, Mike Tomczak and Steve Fuller.

What of McMahon?

“We keep hearing about Jim,” said the Bears’ chief scout Bill Tobin. “But he hasn’t been here working out, doing what was expected (after shoulder surgery last December). All we hear about Jim’s health is rumor at this point.”

Three college passers were picked before the Raiders, drafting 15th, selected an overweight blocker, John Clay of Missouri. In order, the quarterbacks were Testaverde, who had already been signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers; Stouffer, and the choice of the Atlanta Falcons, Chris Miller of Oregon, No. 13 in the first round. Harbaugh was No. 26.

The Rams didn’t get into the lottery until the second round, when their No. 1 was one Donald Evans, a projected linebacker from Winston-Salem State.

Testaverde has already drawn his first $2 million from the Buccaneers, who have given him a six-year contract. He was one of three Miami players in the top nine.

Highsmith, third, and defensive tackle Jerome Brown, ninth, were selected by the Houston Oilers and Philadelphia Eagles, respectively.

“I think that tells you something about the team we had,” Testaverde said.

The Hurricanes’ first-round showing wasn’t quite a record. In 1977, USC was represented by three of the first eight choices. In 1968, Michigan State had four of the first eight.

The scouts and coaches are divided on which one will make Miami’s heaviest NFL impact, Testaverde, Highsmith or Brown.

Buddy Ryan, the Eagle coach who plucked six starters in last year’s draft, has been stumping for Brown.

“Jerome was our choice from the word go ,” said Ryan, who drafted him in a record 68 seconds. “Thanks, Cardinals.”

It was three spots earlier that the Cardinals had picked quarterback Stouffer. This, as Ryan suggested, made personnel geniuses of the next four teams up--the Detroit Lions, Buffalo Bills, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh Steelers, all of whom could, and did, pick highly regarded prospects. The Lions chose defensive end Reggie Rogers of Washington, the Bills took linebacker Shane Conlan of Penn State, the Eagles got Brown, and the Steelers drafted cornerback Rod Woodson of Purdue.

“We were lucky that Woodson was still there,” Pittsburgh Coach Chuck Noll said.

Said Pittsburgh’s chief scout Dick Haley: “(Woodson) is a natural 200-pound cornerback, and those guys are hard to find.”

Thus the fallout from a first-round longshot. You’re not only taking a chance--you may also be helping the enemy.

Otherwise on a long day:

--Robert Irsay’s Indianapolis Colts couldn’t find anyone who would pay their price and, hence, after waiting around for 13:11 of the allotted 15 minutes, took Alabama linebacker Bennett themselves as the second player drafted.

Commenting on his plight, reportedly without smiling, Bennett said: “I’ve got to be happy as an Indianapolis Colt.” Only two weeks ago, he turned down a reported $5 million from Irsay for four years.

--In the most significant of three draft-day trades, all made before the first round was two hours old, the San Diego Chargers got Cleveland linebacker Chip Banks plus the Browns’ first-round choice, who turned out to be Rod Bernstine of Texas A&M;, who will probably play second tight end for a while at San Diego while pressing veteran Kellen Winslow.

--The Browns thereupon drafted Duke linebacker Mike Junkin to replace Banks, one of the NFL’s great linebackers when he wants to be.

--Running backs figured in the two other first-round deals. Trading up with Buffalo, the Houston Oilers made Highsmith the third man drafted. D.J. Dozier of Penn State became the 14th after the Minnesota Vikings traded up for him with Miami.

--Mayes Factor: The New Orleans Saints’ success last year with fullback Rueben Mayes, a third-round selection who became rookie of the year, prompted six teams to choose running backs in Tuesday’s first round. After Highsmith went third to Houston, Auburn’s Fullwood went fifth to Green Bay, which desperately needs defensive help but calls Fullwood another Eric Dickerson. Next was Dozier, followed by Temple’s Paul Palmer to Kansas City, Texas A&M;’s Roger Vick to the New York Jets, and Clemson’s Terrence Flagler to San Francisco.

--The 49ers, trying to catch the front-running Giants and Bears, used their other first-round choice on offensive tackle Harris Barton of North Carolina, then used an early second-round choice for the next offensive lineman drafted, guard Jeff Bregel of USC.

One question this spring was whether the Raiders’ Clay, the 49ers’ Barton or the 49ers’ Bregel was the best offensive lineman on the board. It’s a debate that will now continue on California playing fields. Clay and Barton were the only offensive linemen taken in the first round.

Rogers & Rogers: The Detroit Lions’ coach and first choice read like a law firm. The coach, Darryl Rogers, drafted Washington defensive end Reggie Rogers seventh when St. Louis passed him by for Stouffer on the preceding pick. No other Husky has ever been drafted as high as seventh.

The Cardinals and Lions had both expressed doubts about the talented Rogers, the late Don Rogers’ big younger brother, as did many other teams. Nor did the Lion coach sound too enthusiastic after drafting him. Coach Rogers on player Rogers: “Eventually, (he) will probably be a dominating type player, but not right away.”

--Brigham Young tied the record by providing two defensive linemen in the first round. The Saints expended all but 45 seconds before drafting Shawn Knight 11th. Then the Cincinnati Bengals drafted Jason Buck 17th in 1:20.

Buck could be happier than to get Cincinnati, but Knight is planning to leave for New Orleans immediately. “Hey, I can get into bass fishing and Cajun cooking just like anybody,” Knight said.

--Six of the first 17 players drafted were defensive linemen. Besides Rogers, Knight, Buck and Jerome Brown, Danny Noonan of Nebraska went 12th to Dallas and John Bosa of Boston College went 16th to Miami.

Said Cowboy Vice President Gil Brandt: “(Noonan) looks a lot like Randy White . . . in size, speed and competitiveness. He even has the same kind of personality.”