They would love to see head coach Andy Reid and general manager Tom Heckert do something really sexy with the team's first-round pick on Saturday, like take a wide receiver (Michigan State's Devin Thomas? Cal's DeSean Jackson?) or a running back (Illinois' Rashard Mendenhall? Arkansas' Felix Jones?) or even a cornerback (Kansas' Aqib Talib? South Florida's Mike Jenkins?) if, as expected, Lito Sheppard is traded.

They would love to see it, but they know it's probably not going to happen.

What's probably going to happen is what has happened the last four times and five of the last seven times the Eagles have cashed in their first-round draft coupon.

They're probably going to take a lineman.

I already can hear the groans from the peanut gallery when NFL commissioner Roger Goodell steps to the podium and announces that, with the 19th pick, or with whatever pick they end up with, the Eagles select Pitt offensive tackle Jeff Otah. Or Vanderbilt offensive tackle Chris Williams. Or Clemson defensive end Phillip Merling. Or North Carolina defensive tackle Kentwan Balmer.

The thing you need to understand here is that Reid isn't trying to ruin your weekend. He's trying to win games. And he believes the best way to do that is by winning the trench battles on both sides of the line of scrimmage.

"I've always said the game starts up front with the offensive and defensive lines,'' Reid said. "If those groups don't play well, you're normally not going to win. Your [offensive] skill guys won't be as skilled without that offensive line playing well.

"Likewise on the defensive side. It's easier to defend the passing game if you're getting pressure on the quarterback from your people up front. And it's easier for those linebackers to flow in the running game if the d-linemen aren't letting blockers get their hands on them.''

In keeping with his it-starts-up-front philosophy, Reid has invested a significant number of high draft picks on offensive and defensive linemen. Since his arrival in 1999, the Eagles have selected 42 players in the first four rounds of the draft. Sixteen, or 38 percent of them, have been linemen - nine on offense, seven on defense.

But those numbers aren't really that out of line with many of the other teams in the league. Over the same period, the Cowboys have selected 37 players in the first four rounds. Fourteen, or 38 percent, have been linemen. Twelve of the 35 players the Giants have taken in the first four rounds since '99 (34.3 percent) have been linemen.

More significantly, the Eagles' last four first-round picks all have been linemen. In 2003, they traded up from 30 to 15 and selected defensive end Jerome McDougle. In '04, they traded up from 28 to 16 and took guard Shawn Andrews.

In '05, they took defensive tackle Mike Patterson with the 31st pick. And in '06, they went defensive tackle again, taking Brodrick Bunkley at 14. Last year, they traded out of the first round.

Andrews, Patterson and Bunkley all have developed into productive starters. McDougle, who has played in just 33 games in five seasons and has three career sacks, has been a bust.

"If there's one there [in the first round] who you think is good enough to play, it just overrides the other positions,'' Heckert said.

"In our offense, we throw the ball a lot. So you'd better be able to protect the quarterback. On defense, same thing. You need guys who can get pressure on the quarterback.

"[Defensive coordinator Jim Johnson] loves to blitz. But in a perfect world, you'd like not to have to blitz all the time. So, the more the merrier on both sides of the ball. Especially on defense, where you rotate guys more.''

The decision to trade up and draft McDougle in '03 was a major mistake. The free-agent signings of ends Jevon Kearse and Darren Howard also didn't pan out. But for the most part, the Eagles have done a pretty good job of evaluating linemen.

Of the 16 offensive and defensive linemen they've taken in the first four rounds since 1999, the only clear misses have been McDougle and three fourth-round picks - guard Trey Darilek ('04), defensive end Jamaal Green ('03) and offensive lineman Scott Peters ('02). The jury still is out on three more - offensive tackle Winston Justice (second round, '06), defensive end Victor Abiamiri (second round, '07) and guard Max Jean-Gilles (fourth round, '06).

"You're shooting 50-50 on these guys, regardless of what position they play,'' Reid said. "There are misses wherever you look. We've had a couple of those. I think it's universal. But we've drafted some good players, too.''

The Giants' Super Bowl success last season has underscored the importance of being strong up front. Their relentless pass rush, led by Osi Umenyiora, Michael Strahan and Justin Tuck, was responsible for a league-best 53 sacks. The pressure they were able to put on Patriots quarterback Tom Brady was the key to their 17-14 win in Super Bowl XLII.

The Giants' offensive line did a good job of protecting quarterback Eli Manning, allowing just 37 sacks in 20 games, including the playoffs.

"We've tried to do the same thing here,'' Reid said. "We're in good position right now. We're strong at those [offensive and defensive line] positions. If the season started today, we're kind of fully loaded at those positions. That allows you to maintain your options.''

Fully loaded, but never too fully loaded to add another lineman. Offensive tackles Jon Runyan and Tra Thomas are coming off solid seasons, but Runyan will be 35 in November and Thomas will be 34. If Otah and/or Williams are still there at 19, the Eagles may take one of them.

They also could use another defensive tackle to rotate with Bunkley, Patterson and Montae Reagor.

"That's not a position we would not take,'' Heckert said.

Just what you wanted to hear, right? *

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