Quarterbacks, at Last, Have Their Day in the NFL Draft

In the National Football League’s first Sunday-Monday draft, the 5-round first day will be remembered as the day the Raiders and Rams tried to corner all the speed in the class of 1988.

The second day will be remembered as quarterbacks’ day, in honor of the coaches and scouts who in 7 hours Monday hustled to draft 14 quarterbacks in the last 7 rounds.

Don McPherson of undefeated Syracuse, the Jamaica-born scrambler-passer who finished second to Notre Dame’s--and now the Raiders’--Tim Brown in the Heisman Trophy voting, became a trend-setter when the Philadelphia Eagles thought of him first as the draft resumed with a bustling sixth round.

Two other quarterbacks followed McPherson onto NFL rosters in that round and two more followed in the seventh: Mike Perez of San Jose State to the New York Giants and Kerwin Bell of Florida to the Miami Dolphins.

And then, as the dam broke, NFL teams drafted nine more in the last three rounds--or a total of 16 quarterbacks in two days--including Todd Santos of San Diego State, who went to the New Orleans Saints in Round 10, and one David Weber of Carroll, a small liberal arts college in Waukesha, Wis. He went to the Raiders in Round 11.

Only two quarterbacks were drafted Sunday, and one of them, Tom Tupa of Ohio State, is scheduled to work for the Phoenix Cardinals as, if anything, a punter. The Indianapolis Colts picked Chris Chandler of Washington in the third round.

McPherson will begin his pro career behind Randall Cunningham. This gives the Eagles two similar scrambling passers in an era when, because of injuries, two good quarterbacks are an NFL essential.

McPherson said he’s delighted to join Ryan and Cunningham--even if he wasn’t picked until the sixth round.

“I knew I wouldn’t go (Sunday) because I wanted to go as a quarterback,” McPherson said, adding that Ryan “made it clear to me that he likes me as a quarterback and only that.”

Said Ryan: “He reminds me of Joe Theismann.”

At Syracuse this spring, McPherson was timed in 4.5 seconds for 40 yards and many pro teams evaluated him as a wide receiver or defensive back, and would have drafted him Sunday if his evaluation matched theirs.

He is an uncommon quarterback whose long suits are the self-confidence and intelligence he brings to football. He also has what it takes to advance the ball smartly on the ground.

Otherwise, physically, McPherson doesn’t look as if he could cut it. He stands only a shade over 6 feet and weighs a shade over 180.

For years, however, he has exhibited the toughness required by the game, and last year, though beaten up, he hung in to win the national passing title when UCLA’s Troy Aikman faltered at the end.

What else on Day 2?

--It was also Gordon Lockbaum day. The 2-way Holy Cross back, who in 1986 was on the field offensively and defensively for more than 1,000 of his team’s 1,600 plays, was picked by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the ninth round. As versatile as the Denver Broncos’ Steve Sewell, he lacks only Sewell’s speed but may be fast enough for Pittsburgh.

--Denver, the Raiders’ principal competition in the AFC West, drafted successfully for need this week if Syracuse defensive tackle Ted Gregory has recovered from injury. He was the defense last year on an undefeated team. The Broncos, whose 1987 offensive line was the smallest in pro ball, also drafted UCLA running back Mel Farr and two 300-pound blockers, Gerald Perry of Southern and Garry Frank of Mississippi State.

--San Francisco, the Rams’ principal competitor, after trading for the Raiders’ young veteran receiver, Dokie Williams, added Miami linebacker, George Mira Jr., plus some question-mark defensive linemen. With Coach John Robinson taking an active role in the draft this year, the Rams think they have finally gotten the drop on Bill Walsh.

NFL Notes

Jeff Burger, the Auburn quarterback who had to hustle to tie Don McPherson in the final moments of the Sugar Bowl, wasn’t drafted but will surely emerge somewhere as a free agent. . . . Although Miami of Florida beat Oklahoma for the national title last winter, 20-14, Oklahoma won the draft. After 10 rounds it was a 10-10 tie, but the Sooners came fast in the last two rounds to put a total of 13 players in the draft to Miami’s 12. . . . Suggesting that UCLA has lately been the dominant city team physically, 10 Bruins were in the draft to only 2 from USC. It was the lowest NFL total for the Trojans in 25 years. Their only worse year was 1937, when they were limited to one draftee--their first--Capt. Gil Kuhn, a center. . . . Even so, the Trojans may yet match their image as a football factory when the NFL starts signing up their free-agent candidates, including safety Greg Coauette. . . . Although there were more quality receivers and running backs in the lottery this time, 40 of each, there was, as usual, more depth in the defensive line. The 28 clubs picked 51 defensive linemen. . . . The fast-rising Big Ten contributed 40 players to the NFL this week, as did the SEC, to lead the conferences. Next: Pac-10, 38; Big Eight, 29, Southwest, 13. The independents led them all with 72. . . . The 49ers turned up with the oldest rookie, defensive lineman Pierce Holt of Angelo State, who is 26. He has his degree and two children.