Experts' All-America

With the first kickoff of the first college game in September, a small band of cold-eyed men began their annual, continent-wide search for football talent. While fans all about them cheered and sang, the pro scouts of the National Football League, pencils gently cradled in their huge hands, silently scribbled notes earmarking the college boys good enough to graduate to the man's game.

Most of the pro scouts agreed that 1960's linemen were, on the whole, more promising than the backs. Some headlined college stars were shrugged off as lacking the overpowering speed, size or strength to stick with the pros. When the N.F.L. player draft is held later this month, each of the 14 league teams will key its choices to its special needs--a sprinting pass-catcher, a massive defensive tackle. But with impressive unanimity, the N.F.L. scouts agreed on a dream squad of the nation's finest pro prospects. TIME'S pro-picked All-America :

Ends: Dan La Rose, 21, Missouri; 6 ft. 4 in., 221 Ibs. Mike Ditka, 21, Pittsburgh; 6 ft. 3 in., 218 Ibs. Excerpt from a scout's report on Ditka: "Pound for pound, as fine a college player as there is in the U.S." On LaRose: "Great man at rushing the passer and blocking kicks." In addition, the scouts rate Indiana's solid (6 ft. 5 in., 240 Ibs.) Earl Faison as a promising defensive end ("Just an animal charging in there"), and, because of his pass-catching skills, the pros are thinking of making an offensive end out of Mississippi Halfback Bob Crespino, 22 (6 ft. 4 in., 211 Ibs.).

Tackles: Bob Lilly, 21, Texas Christian; 6 ft. 5 in., 250 Ibs. Ken Rice, 21, Auburn; 6 ft. 2 in., 250 Ibs. Says one scout: "Lilly is a bit more mobile than Rice, but I'd say Rice was a bit tougher." The scouts regard Illinois' Joe Rutgens, 21 (6 ft. 2 in., 245 Ibs.), as a likely defensive tackle. Though he is a tackle at Georgia Tech, Billy Shaw, 21 (6 ft. 3 in., 238 Ibs.), has the agility and speed to play guard with the pros.

Guards: Tom Brown, 24, Minnesota; 6 ft., 240 Ibs. Myron Pottios, 21, Notre Dame; 6 ft. 2 in., 239 Ibs. Drafted two years ago by Baltimore, Brown is hailed as "big, fast and mean." Pottios is highly rated because he "can play either offense or defense, which makes him a good risk for the pros." The pros are also after Virginia Tech's unsung Mike Zeno, 21 (5 ft. 11 in., 240 Ibs.), but dismiss the chances of Colorado's Joe Romig, who made the first team of the United Press International's All-America. Says one scout: At 5 ft. 10 in., 200 Ibs., "Romig is just too small to play anywhere."

Center: E. J. (for Emil Joe) Holub, 22, Texas Tech; 6 ft. 4 in., 217 Ibs. "The nation's No. 1 lineman. Runs the 100 in 10.5. He's a pro right now--they don't call him 'The Beast' for nothing."

Quarterback: Norman Snead, 21, Wake Forest; 6 ft. 4 in., 208 Ibs. Although Snead was snubbed by the wire-service All-Americas, the pros call him "a pure passer" with the advantage of enough height to look over the offensive line. Right behind Snead the scouts rank North Carolina State's Roman Gabriel, 20 (6 ft. 3 in., 215 Ibs.), who is a junior. While the pros admire the all-round ability of Mississippi's Jake Gibbs, the first-stringer on most All-Americas, they generally rate both Snead and Gabriel as better passers for the N.F.L.

Halfbacks: Joe Bellino, 22, Navy; 5 ft. 9 in., 181 Ibs. Decorated last week with the Heisman Trophy as 1960's outstanding college player, Bellino could make the N.F.L., although some scouts have reservations about his size: "He'd try to block a 250-lb. defensive end and that would be the end of him." In any case, the pros figure that a four-year service stint and a bright future as a big-league baseball catcher will keep Bellino out of football. Ranked right alongside Bellino: Tom Mason, 21, Tulane; 6 ft. 1 in., 195 Ibs. Although U.P.I, and A.P. relegated Mason to their third-team All-America, many pros call him the nation's finest back: "He's a slashing runner with great speed, and he hits with abandon." Also high on the pros' lists are Syracuse Junior Ernie Davis ("He's another Jimmy Brown"), Washington State's Keith Lincoln ("One of the real triple threats in the game"), and New Mexico State's Pervis Atkins, drafted last year by Los Angeles.

Fullback: Bob Ferguson, 21, Ohio State; 6 ft., 225 Ibs. A junior, Ferguson has surprising speed in addition to pure brute power. "He runs over people--the other guys, his own guys, everybody."

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