Many NFL Teams Will Be Counting on Rookies

Looking young, a passion in Los Angeles, has become chic with the city’s NFL clubs as well.

Aging ungracefully, the Raiders and Rams decided a facelift was necessary. The results are a youthful appearance and, perhaps, a healthy outlook.

The Raider rookie under the most pressure will not play a down. Coach Mike Shanahan, 36 on Aug. 24, is the NFL’s youngest head coach by more than five years. He has no previous head-coaching experience and is the first man selected by owner Al Davis from outside the Raider organization to guide the team.

Shanahan has such veterans as Howie Long, Marcus Allen and Todd Christensen to ease the burden. But, though he denies it, Shanahan will need impact from the team’s three first-round draft choices--the most in the NFL in 1988--if the Raiders are to return to the playoffs for the first time since 1985.

“To say we need these three first-rounders to stand out to be successful would be presumptuous,” said Shanahan, who takes over a Raider team that went 6-9 last year, its worst record since 1962. “But I do look forward to them having good years.”

The prized rookie is wide receiver Tim Brown, the Heisman Trophy winner out of Notre Dame. With Willie Gault and James Lofton as receivers, Brown’s value as a pass-catcher initially should be secondary to his kick-returning skills.

“Brown came in and his intelligence allowed him to handle the offense,” Shanahan said. “He can be put in during a number of situations.” The other two first-rounders, cornerback Terry McDaniel from Tennessee and defensive end Scott Davis of Illinois, likely will contribute on pass-down situations.

“It’s hard to tell right now what kind of influence they’ll have,” Shanahan said. “But I’m pleased with their progress.”

The Rams are more openly optimistic about the effect their rookies will have. They almost have to be. The Rams gambled by trading star running back Eric Dickerson as part of a package in which they accumulated two first-round and one second-round draft pick in 1988, and one first and three seconds in 1989.

The Rams had five of the first 47 draft picks in 1988, and it looks as if all five will play. From 1983-86 only two teams reached the playoffs in each year: San Francisco and the Rams. The 49ers again reached the postseason last year, but the Rams failed. However, the team that acquired Dickerson, Indianapolis, made the playoffs for the first time since 1977.

UCLA running back Gaston Green, the fastest player picked in the draft, was tabbed 14th overall and should help lessen the blow of losing Dickerson. Charles White will still be the feature back, but Green will play, especially in pass situations.

“First of all he gives us speed like Eric Dickerson had,” said Gil Haskell, the Rams’ running back coach. “Eric was extremely fast. Gaston’s in that class. It really makes a difference when you make a pitch or screen.”

The Rams’ other first-round pick was Arizona State’s Aaron Cox, who along with second-round selection Willie Anderson of UCLA, reduce the severity of speedster Ron Brown’s retirement at wide receiver.

Defensive back Anthony Newman of Oregon and Purdue linebacker Fred Strickland, both selected on the second round, also should play. Green, Cox and Strickland were all picked with choices secured in the Dickerson deal.

“Those are all darn good football players,” Haskell said. “Those five guys will play a lot of football for the Rams.”

Rookies will play a lot for teams such as the New York Jets, Philadelphia and Dallas.

First-round pick Dave Cadigan, a tackle from USC, will start for the Jets. New York is moving toward starting three rookies in the defensive backfield. Erik McMillan of Missouri is the No. 1 free safety, and Terry Williams of Bethune-Cookman, James Hasty of Washington State and John Booty of Texas Christian are challenging for cornerback jobs.

“They say for every rookie that starts, you lose a game,” Jets secondary coach Mike Faulkner said. “I hope not. These kids will make mistakes, but eight weeks into the season we could have one heck of a secondary.”

Eric Allen, a second-round pick from Arizona State, seems to have the right cornerback slot locked up with Philadelphia. Keith Jackson of Oklahoma, the 13th player picked, likely will be the Eagles’ starting tight end after a late signing. As many as five or six more rookies can make the final Eagle roster, including Syracuse quarterback Don McPherson, the runner-up to Brown in last year’s Heisman voting.

Mike Irvin, the 11th player chosen, is showing signs in the exhibition season he could be the NFL’s most polished incoming rookie. Benefitting from his exposure to the pro-style offense used at Miami (Fla.), Irvin has seized a starting receiver spot with Dallas.

With the drug-related suspension of Kevin Gogan, the Cowboys might start fourth-round choice Dave Widell of Boston College at tackle. Running back Mark Higgs and linebacker Sean Scott have the potential to play some as well in their first NFL seasons.

Irvin’s Miami teammate Bennie Blades, the third overall selection, should also make an immediate impact as Detroit’s strong safety. His brother, Brian Blades, and Syracuse’s Tommy Kane should bolster Seattle’s receiving corps.

Receiver, which was the bountiful position on draft day, appears to be the place where there will be immediate inroads by rookies. Sterling Sharpe with Green Bay, Anthony Miller and Quinn Early with San Diego, and Wendell Davis with Chicago are potential starters.

Aundray Bruce of Auburn, the top pick in the draft, will start at linebacker for Atlanta; second selection Neil Smith, a defensive end from Nebraska, probably will start the season as a pass-rush specialist; fourth choice Paul Gruber, a tackle from Wisconsin, should gain a starting job despite a late signing; and fifth pick Rickey Dixon, a cornerback from Oklahoma, was the only unsigned first-round pick as of Aug. 17.