Class Starts for Rams’ Third Pick : Football: Berry signs a contract and will try to learn to play cornerback.

Third-round draft choice Latin Berry, who has spent most of his life moving forward, signed a three-year deal with the Rams Friday and will now attempt to backpedal his way into history.

Berry’s agent said the contract is worth about $600,000.

Berry was a fullback and track star at Oregon. He finished fourth on the school’s career rushing list with 1,548 yards and 11 touchdowns. He was a three-time Pacific 10 Conference long jump champion and twice won the triple jump title.

But with the Rams, he will be asked to take a step backward--several, in fact--as the team converts him to a cornerback for future consideration.

Berry will be allowed time--one season at least--to develop into a defender. Until then, he’ll be asked to contribute on special teams as a kick-returner.

Coach John Robinson, who did not envision Berry as a professional runner because of his lack of moves, was so impressed by the rookie’s speed, athletic skills and toughness that he deemed the experiment worthy of a third-round selection.

Berry took his lumps at cornerback in May’s minicamp, with no Jerry Rices around to cover.

“The guys were kissing me on the chin when they were running by,” Berry said of his first taste of NFL competition.

Berry, 5-feet-10 and 196 pounds, said he never imagined the transition would be as simple as a triple jump.

“I’ve spent a lot of time going forward,” he said. “Backpedaling’s not easy. . . . Scouts are paid to evaluate, and if they think I’d be better as a defensive back, I’ll give it my all.”

Ram Notes

The team has signed all but three draft choices--first-round pick Bern Brostek, second-round selection Pat Terrell and 12th-round choice David Lang, who won’t be reporting soon, if ever, because he’s serving a 120-day prison sentence in Arizona for receiving stolen property.