Can’t-Miss Raider Can’t Wait to Play : Football: Terry McDaniel started as a rookie at cornerback. Two years later, an injury and another rookie put him on hold.

In 1988, Terry McDaniel became the first rookie defensive back to start an opener for the Raiders since Jack Tatum in 1971.

It seemed the team was set at left cornerback for years. McDaniel didn’t figure that meant two.

In last Sunday’s opener, Garry Lewis became the third Raider rookie to start in the secondary, taking over for you-know-who at cornerback.

McDaniel, a former first-round choice from Tennessee, pulled a hamstring before the first exhibition this summer. The Raiders were determined to bring him along slowly, temporarily plugging a seventh-round choice, Lewis, into McDaniel’s spot.

So what happens when Lewis turns out to be a good player? Good question.

Lewis started the opener against the Denver Broncos. McDaniel, his hamstring reportedly not healed completely, played in nickel coverages but ended up scoring the go-ahead touchdown on a 42-yard fumble return in the third quarter. On the play, McDaniel sprinted down the sideline, easily outracing the pursuit. Nice test for that hamstring.

“That’s about as hard as you’re going to run going for that end zone,” McDaniel explained, “knowing someone’s coming after you.”

So the hamstring’s fine?

“It feels pretty good,” he said.

Wednesday, though, Coach Art Shell said Lewis would start Sunday’s game against the Seattle Seahawks.

McDaniel said he doesn’t know whether he has lost his job or just rented it to Lewis.

“I can’t even answer that question,” McDaniel said. “At this point, whatever Art says goes.”

But it’s a question McDaniel can’t help considering.

“Oh, definitely, yes,” he said. “I’m out here to play, and play at my best. Hopefully, I’ll be getting it back. But I’m not going to get into it. Right now, I’m not clear on everything.”

Jack Stanton, the defensive back coach, said the team is still being cautious with McDaniel. Stanton explained that although McDaniel may have appeared fine on his touchdown run, that doesn’t mean all is well.

“If you’re playing the whole game, your muscles get tighter and it’s easier to tear, especially if it’s weak there,” Stanton said. “He can only play so much per game, so he doesn’t reinjure the thing.”

Shell contends that you can’t have enough quality cornerbacks in an age of run-and-shoot offenses and four-receiver sets.

The Raiders drafted Lewis from Alcorn State with the 173rd overall selection. The rest was up to him.

How did the Raiders know?

“If you could see the kid compete in college, you’d know that he could do those things,” Shell said. “The main question everyone had was (his) speed. Speed is a big factor in this league. We were fortunate to take a shot, and we came out pretty good.”

Lewis, McDaniel and right corner Lionel Washington give the Raiders some quality depth at corner, a precious commodity.

When it comes to covering track star/receiver types, McDaniel has become somewhat of an expert.

At Tennessee, he chased Tim McGee, now catching bombs from Boomer Esiason in Cincinnati, and Anthony Miller, a budding star with the San Diego Chargers.

Since becoming a Raider, McDaniel has joined a track team that includes Willie Gault, Tim Brown and Sam Graddy.

“They’ve got to be the fastest group of receivers in the whole league,” McDaniel said. “So I’ve been used to it all my life, I guess.”

It definitely keeps McDaniel on his heels. But he also knows receivers. He used to be one, in fact, before converting to the secondary during his sophomore season in college. McDaniel also ran track at Tennessee for three years.

With his credentials, the Raiders didn’t hesitate to use McDaniel as a rookie. McDaniel said he didn’t mind being tossed to the wolves.

“You’re coming in to play as much as possible,” he said. “Actually getting to start is something you’re looking forward to. I didn’t look at it as actually being thrown into the fire. I was ready to play and getting the opportunity to do it. It was really good for me.”

The bad break came when McDaniel’s rookie season ended in Week 2, when he suffered a broken leg. He did return to start 15 games in 1989.

When he will get his first start in 1990 is anyone’s guess.

But, for openers, a returned fumble for touchdown to beat Denver can’t hurt a guy’s chances.

Raider Notes

What does the Raiders’ decision to remain in Los Angeles mean to the players? “I can keep the home and don’t have to worry about going to a realtor,” nose tackle Bob Golic said. “In a certain respect, there is some comfort for some of our family members. As a player, I came out here from Cleveland, and I love Los Angeles. It’s a great area to be.” . . . Tailback Marcus Allen said the long wait made the decision less dramatic: “It was a part of us, like a piece of furniture. You learn to live with it. . . . Certainly, it would have been a travesty if L.A. would have lost the team.” . . . Coach Art Shell would not say whether he would activate quarterback Steve Beuerlein. Shell also declined to name a starting tailback. “They’re all going to play,” he said.