Different Paths Lead to Middle Ground : Raiders: McGlockton and Broughton came from opposite directions to center of defensive line.

One man came into training camp with high hopes, the other with hopes flagging.

One came in injury free, the other struggling to recover from an injury that cost him the 1991 season.

One had the security of being a No. 1 draft choice, the other the insecurity of having failed to make two previous clubs.

Yet heading into the crucial stretch run of this season, Chester McGlockton and Willie Broughton find their divergent paths have merged, placing them side by side in the middle of the Raider defensive line.

That seemed highly unlikely as recently as a few weeks ago.

This was a team rich in defensive line talent. There were the headline names, Howie Long and Greg Townsend. There were the rising stars, Anthony Smith and Nolan Harrison. There was long-time veteran Bob Golic and there was Aundray Bruce, who was trying to resurrect a career gone bad in Atlanta.

McGlockton had potential star quality himself until the opening series of the opening quarter of the opening exhibition.

Then, suddenly, it all turned sour for last year’s Atlantic Coast Conference lineman of the year. San Francisco 49er guard Guy McIntyre stepped on one of the 6-4, 325-pound McGlockton’s feet.

At first, it wasn’t a big deal. McGlockton had a bruise and would sit out a couple of days of practice, the Raiders said.

Days turned into weeks, the exhibition season into the regular season, and still McGlockton limped.

When he did finally play, he was nearly immobile.

There were whispers that he didn’t want to play, that the biggest problem was with his heart, not his foot.

McGlockton answered his critics on the field Sunday with his first sustained action during a 20-3 victory over the Seattle Seahawks.

He got two tackles, doubling his previous season total, and made his presence felt for the first time.

It was nothing spectacular, but Raider coach Art Shell liked what he saw.

“Chester did some good things out there,” Shell said. “It was good to see him on the football field. He made a couple of plays, created some problems with his bulk in there.”

Long took McGlockton under his wing in training camp and Sunday, Long took it upon himself to defend the former Clemson star.

“Chester was legitimately injured,” Long said. “He has gotten over what would take a normal person six months to get over.

“Chester doesn’t give a . . . what you (media) guys think. It rolls off his back. If you’re hurt, you’re hurt. The three things you can’t control are death, taxes and being hurt.”

Broughton was also struggling to recover from an injury, having spent the 1991 season rehabilitating from a back problem.

But even perfect health wouldn’t have been enough to win the 28-year-old Broughton a spot on the Raiders.

Not until defensive lineman Scott Davis retired this summer.

“If Scott had come in, it would have been difficult for Willie to make this team,” Shell said.

The 6-foot-5, 280-pound Broughton failed to make his two previous teams, the Indianapolis Colts and the Dallas Cowboys. The back injury killed his chances in Dallas.

Broughton joined the Raiders as a free agent last spring.

“Willie came out last summer and worked his tail off,” Shell said. “Every time you put him in the game, he keeps showing up. He keeps making things happen. The more he plays, the better he gets.”

Broughton played plenty Sunday, had a game-high nine tackles and his first sack since 1989.

And he harbors no bitterness after spending eight years struggling to succeed in the NFL.

“I’m not a selfish person,” he said. “Whenever they want me to play, I’ll play.”