What's the Eagles' biggest need as they head into the 2008 season?

Wide receiver? Safety? Offensive tackle? Returner? Defensive tackle?

It's no secret that the Eagles have tried this off-season to bring in a star veteran wide receiver. They made it known that they pursued Randy Moss before the record-setting receiver re-signed with the New England Patriots. It's also known that they asked the Arizona Cardinals if they were interested in trading Larry Fitzgerald before he restructured his contract.

Rest assured, they've asked about Detroit's Roy Williams, too. There's no way anything is going to happen with Cincinnati's Chad Johnson before the draft because it would cost the Bengals $8.03 million against their salary cap if they deal him before June 1.

So that leaves Williams as the only star receiver seemingly available. The Lions have insisted they don't want to trade him, even though Eagles radio analyst Mike Quick is reportedly telling people that Williams will be traded. Of course, Heckert sat at a table surrounded by more than 30 local media members yesterday and said with a straight face that he expects cornerback Lito Sheppard to be with the Eagles when they open their post-draft minicamp a week from Friday.

He sounded like a man bluffing with a pair of deuces when he said it, but he still said it.

As much as Eagles fans would love to see quarterback Donovan McNabb throwing to someone like Williams in 2008, if that doesn't happen the Eagles must decide if there's a wide receiver worth drafting in the first round.

"I think there are two or three first-round guys," Heckert said.

Heckert wouldn't say it, but the Eagles have Michigan State's Devin Thomas rated as the top receiver in the draft. Thomas, 6-foot-2 and 215 pounds, had a strong junior season for the Spartans and is also a kick returner, but he may not be available if the Eagles wait until the 19th selection.

A quality wide receiver certainly wouldn't hurt the Eagles, but the fact is that Thomas is a quality kick returner who set a Big Ten record with 1,135 yards on 39 kickoff returns. Heckert said the Eagles weren't necessarily looking for a returner in this draft.

"We're not going into this saying, 'We have to have a returner,' " Heckert said.

While Thomas would seemingly fill the need of returner and give the Eagles an immediate contributor even if he wasn't ready to be a starting wide receiver as a rookie, the team may have a bigger need at offensive tackle.

Reid said at the owners' meetings that he has a concern at that position because Jon Runyan and Tra Thomas are approaching their mid-30s and are in the last year of their contracts.

Heckert reiterated a point that Reid made at the owners' meetings earlier this month about Pro Bowl right guard Shawn Andrews possibly moving to tackle one day. The general manager also gave a vote of confidence to Winston Justice.

Heckert acknowledged this is a strong draft for offensive tackles with Michigan's Jake Long and Boise State's Ryan Clady at the top of the class. Long will be long gone by the time the Eagles draft, but Clady could slip into one of those spots where he could be attainable by moving up in the draft.

As much as offensive tackle might be an eventual need for the Eagles, it doesn't seem to be an immediate one because both Runyan and Thomas remain the projected starters for at least one more season.

So what about safety?

Heckert said he liked the Eagles' depth at the position, but Brian Dawkins, like Runyan and Thomas, is in his mid-30s and on the last year of his contract.

Kenny Phillips from the University of Miami is the only projected first-round pick among all the available safeties, and it's possible he won't even go in the first round.

This draft is also loaded with defensive ends, and we know Reid has never shied away from taking a defensive lineman with his first pick. In fact, four of his eight first-round picks have been defensive lineman.

Back to the original question: If the Eagles draft by need in the first round Saturday, whom should they pick?

It just seems so logical that they would go after a wide receiver who also has the ability to be an NFL returner, which makes Thomas the man who should be the object of their attention.

Grading Eagles' Class of 2005

Position   Player    Round Pick Points   Comment

WR Reggie Brown    2      35      6    16 career TDs.

LB Matt McCoy       2      63      2   Released in 2007.

RB Ryan Moats       3      77      1    15 games in 3 years.

S Sean Considine    4      102   4   17 starts last 2 years.

T-G Todd Herremans    4      126   5    Two-year starter.

DE Trent Cole         5      146    8    25½ career sacks.

G Scott Young          5      172    1    1 game in 2007.

OT Calvin Armstrong 6      211   0    Released in 2006.

DT Keyonta Marshall 7       247   0    Released in 2006.

LB David Bergeron    7      252   0    Released in 2005.

Totals: 11 picks, 34 points, 7 remain.

Comment: If Reggie Brown can rebound with some big seasons, this will be an outstanding draft.

Each player in the 2005 NFL draft was given a point total for his production with the team that selected him. The players were not given points for what they did with other teams. They got four points for making the Pro Bowl, three for each season they started all 16 games, two for each season they started at least half their team's games, and one for playing in at least half their team's games.

Overall Draft Class Of 2005

   Top Five

Dallas Cowboys         8 picks, 43 points

EAGLES                  11 picks, 34 points

St. Louis Rams            11 picks, 29 points

San Francisco 49ers      11 picks, 28 points

   Bottom Five

Buffalo Bills               6 picks, 8 points

Detroit Lions            6 picks, 8 points

New York Giants         4 picks, 12 points

Minnesota Vikings      7 picks, 13 points

Best overall pick: Shawne Merriman, LB, San Diego Chargers

Comment: Three seasons, three Pro Bowls, 33½ sacks

Best Eagles pick: Trent Cole, DE, fifth round

Comment: The best second-day pick during the Reid-Heckert era.

Worst overall pick: Mike Williams, WR, Detroit Lions

Comment: He makes Freddie Mitchell look like a great pick.

Worst Eagles pick: Matt McCoy, LB, second round

Comment: He didn't play smart or well with the Eagles and he is now in Tampa Bay.