Four Raiders Get Spots in Pro Bowl : Pro football: McGlockton, Brown, McDaniel and Wisniewski named. Bettis makes NFC squad despite slump.

Raider defensive tackle Chester McGlockton gave himself four years to make the Pro Bowl when he was drafted in the first round from Clemson in 1992.

On Thursday, McGlockton learned that he is ahead of schedule when he was named to the AFC Pro Bowl team, along with three Raider teammates--wide receiver Tim Brown, cornerback Terry McDaniel and guard Steve Wisniewski.

One Ram, running back Jerome Bettis, was named to the NFC team.

Said McGlockton: “This is something that you want to achieve when you first get in the league, to be considered one of the best. It’s like someone took a big weight from off my shoulders.”

McGlockton’s relief is understandable, considering the injuries he has had to overcome in his first two seasons. As a rookie, he was limited to 10 games because of a preseason foot injury. Last season, he sat out the playoffs because of a broken leg he suffered in the final game of the regular season.

“I’ve always said that if he’s healthy, he’s going to be a force to be reckoned with,” Raider Coach Art Shell said. “Now, he’s arrived. You can tell by the number of double and triple teams he’s faced. That tells you that he has the attention of other teams.”

Participants in the Pro Bowl, which will be played Feb. 5 in Honolulu, are selected by NFL players, coaches and fans.

McGlockton, who has 49 tackles and 7 1/2 sacks this season, was the third defensive tackle selected, behind starters Cortez Kennedy of the Seattle Seahawks and Michael Dean Perry of the Cleveland Browns.

“I felt that I had a realistic chance to make it this season,” said McGlockton, who planned to thank former teammate and current Fox television broadcaster Howie Long for helping during his first two seasons. “I thought that going toward the end of last season I was on my way before getting hurt.”

McDaniel has scored three defensive touchdowns this season and leads the team with seven interceptions.

Said Shell: “Most of the guys who make the squad are playing at a high level. Steve (Wisniewski) makes it every year and he’s deserving of it. Same thing goes for Tim Brown. With Terry, this is his third selection and I thought that he should have made it a year or two earlier before that.”

McDaniel said, “It’s called an individual award, but it’s really done through the team.”

Said Wisniewski: “Personally, I think that I had a good year. But I’m in my sixth year in the league and I would love to trade (playing in the Pro Bowl) for a shot at playing in the Super Bowl.”

Bettis made the NFC team for the second consecutive year, even though he will fall well short of not only his announced goal of 2,000 yards rushing but his 1,429 yards as a rookie last season.

His 970 yards in 296 carries rank fourth among NFC rushers behind the Detroit Lions’ Barry Sanders with 1,721, Dallas Cowboys’ Emmitt Smith with 1,410 and Minnesota Vikings’ Terry Allen with 975. Bettis is averaging 3.3 yards a carry and has run for three touchdowns--the lowest among the top 10 NFC rushers in those categories. He was selected as a reserve behind Sanders and Smith.

Considering his statistics on a 4-10 team, Bettis said he was pleasantly surprised by his selection.

“It was a rough year, but I think I was still able to do some positive things,” he said. “I’m just happy I’m considered one of the best backs in the league.

“I think people are looking past that whole thing of me having huge numbers. They’re saying, ‘How did he perform? Is he having a decent year?’ Look at the stats, and I’m up there past a lot of backs who are having pretty good years. What does that say? Am I having a bad year?”

Struggling behind an injured offensive line, Bettis hasn’t rushed for more than 100 yards in a game since Oct. 2 against the Atlanta Falcons. He was slowed by a back injury earlier in the season and by a number of other bumps and bruises. He has averaged 31 yards and 12 carries a game the last five weeks.

“Jerome has had a hard year,” Ram offensive coordinator Chick Harris said. “He has fought through it. I’m sure the productivity he wanted isn’t there, but he has been a lot of our offense, and a lot of people respect that when we’ve played against them.”

Two-time Super Bowl champion Dallas, led by running back Emmitt Smith and quarterback Troy Aikman, put a league-high 11 players on the NFC team. The San Francisco 49ers had nine players, including wide receiver Jerry Rice and quarterback Steve Young. Rice was voted to the team for the ninth time.

The Pittsburgh Steelers led the AFC with six players voted to the team, linebackers Greg Lloyd and Kevin Greene, cornerback Rod Woodson, safety Carnell Lake, guard Duval Love and center Dermontti Dawson.

San Diego tied the Raiders with four players: linebacker Junior Seau, defensive end Leslie O’Neal, running back Natrone Means and kicker John Carney.

* Times staff writer Mike Reilley contributed to this story.