ST. LOUIS -- The St. Louis Rams expect Sam Bradford to achieve the heights of Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks Terry Bradshaw, John Elway, Troy Aikman and Peyton Manning.

The Rams would not have selected the former Oklahoma Heisman Trophy winner with the first overall pick of the 2010 NFL draft and guaranteed him $50 million if they did not harbor that expectation.

Bradshaw, Elway, Aikman and Manning also were the first overall selections of drafts and also were paid millions of dollars to perform magic with their right arms. But before Bradford can follow in their footsteps to the heights of his profession, he must trudge in their footsteps through the depths.

The exhilaration of being the first overall pick of a draft quickly gives way to the reality -- and gravity -- of the situation. A very bad football team has drafted you. And that first year is guaranteed to be a struggle.

There have been 17 quarterbacks selected first overall since the merger of the AFL and NFL drafts in 1967, and none won more starts than he lost as a rookie.

Bradshaw was drafted by a 1-13 Steelers team in 1970. He went 3-5 as a starter with six touchdowns and 24 interceptions. Elway was drafted by an 0-8-1 Baltimore team but refused to play for the Colts and eventually was traded to the Denver Broncos. He was benched twice in his rookie season, when he threw twice as many interceptions (14) as touchdowns (7)

Aikman was drafted by a 3-13 Dallas team and did not win a game in his rookie season. He went 0-11 and also threw twice as many interceptions (18) as touchdowns (9). Manning was drafted by a 3-13 Indianapolis team and led the NFL with 28 interceptions as a rookie.

First overall picks Vinny Testaverde (1987), Carson Palmer (2003) and JaMarcus Russell (2007) joined Aikman with zero victories as a rookie. Matthew Stafford (2009) joined Bradshaw and Manning with a 20-interception debut season.

David Carr (2002) was sacked an NFL-record 76 times as a rookie, and Alex Smith (2005) threw 11 interceptions and fumbled 11 times in his seven rookie starts.

Manning lost 13 games as a rookie and Tim Couch (1999) and Carr 12 apiece. Eli Manning (2004) completed only 48.2 percent of his passes as a rookie, Elway 47.4 percent, Steve Bartkowski (1975) 45.1 percent and Michael Vick (2001) 44.2 percent.

So college greatness does not translate into overnight NFL success for quarterbacks selected first overall in drafts. Bradford already has conferred with Aikman and Manning about surviving the first season.

"They've told me it's a process," said Bradford, who likely has done enough in the preseason to earn the starting job. He was 15 of 22 for 189 yards and two touchdowns against New England Thursday night.

"They both told me you're going to take your fair share of bumps and bruises along the way, mentally and physically.

"But you just have to try to get better every week and understand that it is a process. You can't be overly hard on yourself. You need to expect to play well, but then, when you don't, you can't let that stay with you. You have to bounce back the next week and have just as much confidence as you did the week before."

Bradford was drafted by a 1-15 St. Louis team that has a Pro Bowl runner in Steven Jackson. But the Rams essentially have two rookie offensive tackles in Rodger Saffold and Jason Smith, plus a tight end (Billy Bajema) with 15 career catches. St. Louis' top three wideouts have a combined 39 starts and fewer than 200 receptions.

Aikman, Bradshaw and Manning emerged as franchise quarterbacks when their teams were able to put better players around them. A tight end and lead wide receiver are on the Rams' future wish list. The goal in 2010 is to get Bradford through his rookie season in one piece. If the Rams can accomplish that, they love the future Bradford gives them.

"What's there not to like?" Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo said. "Everyone knows he's a big, tall, strapping guy who has a real strong arm and can throw the ball and is very accurate. But I probably like his intangibles more than anything else.

"He's an intense competitor. No matter what he does -- if you give him a ping pong paddle, a tennis racket or a golf club -- he'll be good at it. He's one of those guys who just competes and is good at everything he does. He's a natural in a lot of things."

The Rams' greatest hope is that he's a natural winner. But don't expect that winning to start until at least 2011.

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