Despite High Expectations, Rams’ Drayton Hasn’t Caught On Yet : NFL: Rookie tight end believes he can be contribute, despite problems learning the offense and his role in it.

Troy Drayton joined the Rams last spring as a draft-day bargain, potential dripping from his sure-handed fingertips. Surely he would develop into the steady tight end the Rams haven’t had since Pete Holohan left for Kansas City after the 1990 season.

Since then, those expectations have given way to confusion about Drayton’s playing time, his role in the offense and his troubles learning the plays.

Eleven games into the season, the second-round pick from Penn State has faded into the background like a movie extra and is trying diligently to understand the demands of his position.

“I’m not a dumb guy,” Drayton said. “But there was a lot thrown at me at the start of the season (in training camp), and I didn’t have enough time to absorb it. That was the key to my slow development.”

When he entered camp, Drayton, 6 feet 3 and 255 pounds, was billed as the next Kellen Winslow. Coaches figured his speed and versatility made him a threat running routes out of the backfield.

But entering Sunday’s game at Phoenix, Drayton has caught only 13 passes for 153 yards and two touchdowns. During a four-game span, he caught just one pass for eight yards. He has two catches in the last three games--including a screen pass he took 25 yards for the winning touchdown against Washington.

The Rams haven’t established a passing game this season, and it’s not entirely the fault of quarterbacks Jim Everett and T.J. Rubley. Wide receiver Flipper Anderson, their deep threat, has only 20 catches and has been taken out in most first-down situations. The team’s second-leading receiver behind Henry Ellard? Third-down back Cleveland Gary with 30.

Drayton wonders if the tight end has been forgotten. In the late 1980s, Ram tight ends were a stabilizing force in the passing game: defenses had to pay attention to Holohan in the middle of the field, thereby freeing up Anderson and Ellard.

“I heard that they used the tight end a lot here,” Drayton said. “But this season I feel like we’re being overlooked. We have three of the most talented tight ends in the league with Travis McNeal, Pat Carter and myself. If we’re just out there and not being used, then we’re useless.”

After trouble learning the offense in training camp, Drayton ended the exhibition season as the team’s No. 3 receiver. But he has started only one regular-season game--as an H-back against Detroit. McNeal started six games at tight end in place of an injured Carter, who has returned and started the last four.

Drayton’s playing time and impact have dwindled over the last few weeks. He estimated that he’s in for about 10 to 12 plays a game. His 13 receptions rank sixth on the team but best among the three tight ends. Yet rookie tailback Jerome Bettis has three more receptions than Drayton.

“I think I’ve been given a shot,” Drayton said. “But I’m not involved as much as I want to be. I think maybe that’s because the coaches don’t think I can handle that much.

“I’m just trying to get more. I think I can give us another threat. I know Flipper, Henry and Jerome are our top threats, but I can be, too. I can be a Winslow, a Keith Jackson or a Holohan. I can be as good or better than them. I just need to learn a little more and get the opportunity to catch the ball.”

Waiting for that opportunity has frustrated Drayton, yet he hasn’t complained to Coach Chuck Knox or offensive coordinator Ernie Zampese.

“Being a rookie, I feel like I’m not in the position to do that,” Drayton said. “Maybe that goes back to my days at Penn State, where we’re not really allowed to question Joe’s authority. I think I may not be doing it out of respect to the coaches. But at the same time, I have to realize that this is a business, and if I sat down and talked to them, I don’t know what would happen.

“I don’t have enough experience to walk up to them and say, ‘Look, put me in the game.’ I have confidence to know that I can go out and make the plays, but I don’t approach the coaches and say, ‘What’s the deal?’ ”

Drayton emerged into a top NFL prospect at Penn State after making the team as a walk-on and moving from wide receiver to tight end. But the transition from Paterno’s conservative offense to the pro game wasn’t as easy.

“The most difficult part of this game is the mental part,” Drayton said. “If you’re not prepared mentally, then you’re not giving yourself a chance to compete.”

To add to the confusion, Drayton lined up in as many as five positions. When he stepped in the huddle, he often had to ask himself what position he was playing. Where does he line up? What pattern does he run? Is he involved with the pass protection, or is he free to release into the secondary?

“As outsiders, people don’t realize what I had to go through, what I had to learn for me to get in there,” he said. “You’re going to make a lot of mistakes as a young guy. I was under a lot of pressure when I came in here. I had to learn about four or five different positions. If I had to learn one or two, then I could have developed as a player the way they wanted me to.”

Drayton has done extra homework to bring himself up to speed. He religiously watches game film at home and meets with offensive assistant coach Mike Martz before team meetings. And his blocking skills, which were horrible during training camp, are now up to par.

“That’s something I’ve worked hard to improve on,” he said. “When I came here, I was the clumsiest, most non-athletic, blocking tight end in the league. Once I learned the techniques and found the aggression level I needed, I was fine.

“I think getting beat up in practice by (linebackers) Chris Martin and Henry Rolling has taught me a lot.”

He has learned from Carter and McNeal as well. McNeal is the big brother who keeps him in line. Carter is the father figure Drayton seeks for advice.

“I’m fortunate to have those two guys as teammates,” Drayton said. “Pat has experienced all the things that I’m going through. He keeps telling me that I need to be patient, that I’ll be a great player in this league someday.”

Tight-Fisted

The Rams have not exactly lavished passes on rookie tight end Troy Drayton. Game-by-game statistics:

Opponent Rec. Yds. TD Green Bay 2 45 0 Pittsburgh 3 48 1 N.Y. Giants 0 0 0 Houston 0 0 0 New Orleans 1 8 0 Atlanta 0 0 0 Detroit 2 35 0 San Francisco 3 17 0 Atlanta 1 5 0 Washington 1 25 1 San Francisco 0 0 0 Totals 13 183 2