NFL’s Top Rookies Are Signing Fat Contracts

Even before he turns a rival’s facemask into an NFL spittoon, Brian Bosworth will be tough to avoid in naming the most colorful rookie of 1987.

That’s colorful as in green -- the color of money. Oklahoma’s All-America linebacker, a player not eligible for the regular NFL draft last spring, has struck gold in the Pacific Northwest. There’s nothing supplemental about The Boz’s 10-year contract worth $11 million. Now all he has to do is justify making more money than Pro Bowl linebackers.

“I won’t put my foot in my mouth like I did in Oklahoma,” says Bosworth, who once proclaimed that he “spit loogies” into the faces of college opponents as a means of intimidation. “Things got carried away there. I have learned from that experience.”

Money and contract length were factors in negotiations between Indianapolis and former Alabama linebacker Cornelius Bennett, the second player chosen in the draft and one of several first round rookies who chose the holdout route.

Among others were fullback Alonzo Highsmith (Houston), defensive lineman Jerome Brown (Philadelphia) and defensive end Jason Buck (Cincinati).

Pittsburgh may lose defensive back Rod Woodson to the U.S. track and field team at the 1988 Olympics.

The first player drafted, Heisman Trophy winner Vinny Testaverde, signed early for $8.2 million over six years with Tampa Bay, a battered franchise coming off consecutive 2-14 seasons.

Testaverde is battling veteran Steve DeBerg for the starting job as Ray Perkins begins his first year as coach of the Buccaneers. In his pro debut against Cincinnati in the pre-season opener, Testaverde threw for 233 yards and three touchdowns in one half.

“Vinny’s very, very similar to John Elway,” says DeBerg, who competed against Elway for Denver’s starting quarterback job five years ago. “Those two are the most raw-talented quarterbacks I’ve ever worked with. They both have very strong arms and good quarterback instincts. Naturally, among the fans there’s a lot of mystique about the No. 1 pick in the draft. Add the Heisman Trophy and Million Dollar Baby, and they just can’t wait.”

Perkins says his starting quarterback job will be won in the pre-season, but several other Buccaneers rookies already appear assured of starting berths after a 20-player draft harvest.

Don Smith, the Southeast Conference Player of the Year last season as a quarterback for Mississippi State, has the edge at halfback as Perkins sheds the 1-back attack built around James Wilder. Speedy wide receiver Mark Carrier has impressed Perkins, a former All-America receiver at Alabama, and Winston Moss, Testaverde’s teammate at Miami (Fla.), is ticketed for an outside linebacker spot.

Kansas City, a club with solid defense, great special teams and an abysmal rushing attack, is counting on a pair of rookie runners -- little Paul Palmer of Temple and big Christian Okoye from Azusa-Pacific. Palmer, who finished second to Testaverde in the Heisman voting, has been hampered by a thigh bruise, but the 253-pound Okoye reeled off gains of 23 and 30 yards in the Hall of Fame Game against San Francisco.

“I saw some great things from Okoye,” said Chiefs’ rookie coach Frank Gansz. “You can see the competitiveness of some of these backs and that’s very encouraging to me.”

Brent Fullwood, who stepped out of Bo Jackson’s shadow at Auburn last season, will add some excitement to Green Bay’s running game while D.J. Dozier gives Minnesota quarterback Tommy Kramer another versatile performer in his backfield next to Darrin Nelson. Roger Vick should provide consistent inside running for the New York Jets and the 49ers plan to utilize running back Terrence Flagler in Bill Walsh’s multi-dimensional offense.

The Bears turned heads on draft day by selecting Michigan quarterback Jim Harbaugh, but that move may prove critical as Jim McMahon recuperates slowly from shoulder problems.