"I am a playmaker," the Texas-El Paso safety said during a conference call in which it quickly became clear that confidence would not be one of his obstacles in going to the next level. "If the Eagles wanted a playmaker, they got one as a steal in this draft. I am not a Pro Bowl player, I'm a Super Bowl player. I am ready to go. I am fired up."

Wow.

In truth, there was a lot of "wow" factor in this draft for the Eagles, but it wasn't always the kind McNabb or the fan base was hoping for when the proceedings started at 3 p.m. Saturday.

When the Eagles traded their first-round pick for the second straight year, a lot of jaws dropped. Those chops sank even further when the Eagles moved down again in the second round before finally taking Notre Dame defensive tackle Trevor Laws with the 47th overall selection.

It was at least a little surprising when the Eagles used their first pick on a defensive tackle, because the team's last two first-round picks were also spent on defensive tackles.

Two picks later, the Eagles did get a guy with some real "wow" potential when they took California's DeSean Jackson, a lightning-quick receiver and punt returner, but the other kind of "wows" resurfaced when the Eagles took a 231-pound, small-school defensive end (McNeese State's Bryan Smith) in the third round. In the fourth round, they took a cornerback (Wisconsin's Jack Ikegwuonu) with legal problems and a knee injury that won't allow him to play this year.

Perhaps the biggest "wow" of them all came at the end of the second day when the Eagles still had not traded cornerback Lito Sheppard. A team source said that the Eagles would listen to offers but believed that it was now more likely the two-time Pro Bowl cornerback would remain with the team this season.

Even though it's well-known that Sheppard isn't happy about a contract that will pay him $2 million next season and included an $8.7 million signing bonus, neither the cornerback nor his agent, Peter Schafer, has publicly complained about it. Sheppard and Schafer continued to ignore telephone messages left with them yesterday.

Asked about the offers the Eagles had received for Sheppard, coach Andy Reid said there were not any "significant ones." The coach added that "something will be worked out" as far as Sheppard's situation is concerned.

"He's part of this football team, just like everybody else," Reid said when asked if he anticipated having Sheppard at the team's post-draft minicamp, which begins Saturday. He also said he would talk to Sheppard about his contract situation.

If the Eagles do keep Sheppard, they will have arguably the strongest cornerback trio in the league. The question is this: How does defensive coordinator Jim Johnson find enough playing time for Sheppard, Sheldon Brown and prized free-agent addition Asante Samuel?

"It gives us one great opportunity for a nice secondary," Reid said. "The way to use them is just like we used Bobby Taylor, Al Harris and Troy Vincent. We just rotated all of them, and they were all starters in our eyes. Just let them play. That's the way I look at this secondary."

As for the way Reid looked at the Eagles' draft, he felt as though the team got three players on the first day that have a chance to significantly help the team this season, even if some people may perceive his picks as looking more toward the future.

"There are people who are going to criticize," Reid said. "There are going to be some people who like it and some who don't. The three that we picked up on the first day, and I include [Lorenzo] Booker in that, they have a chance . . . to come in and help this football team win games. I can't say that I've sat up here every year and felt that way.

"These three, barring injury or doing something I wouldn't expect them to do, I think they could come in and help us win some games this year."

Booker, the running back the Eagles acquired from Miami for a fourth-round draft choice, is a player the team really thinks has a chance to make a major impact.

"He played [for Miami] a little bit at the end of the year and did very well," Reid said. "I think he can come in and help us. I used a fourth-round pick to do it, and considering that I got a third-round pick who has been in the league one year for a fourth-round pick, I think that's a pretty good deal."

Time, of course, becomes the ultimate judge for all NFL drafts, and this one is not any different. We will all just have to wait to see how many plays Demps makes in the NFL.

Capsule biographies of the new Eagles

Trevor Laws

Second round, 47th overall, 6-foot-1, 304 pounds.

FAST FACTS: He roomed with Eagles defensive end Victor Abiamiri at Notre Dame. Laws went 49-0 and won a state title as a high school wrestler in Apple Valley, Minn.

HOW HE FITS: He likely will be a backup to Brodrick Bunkley and Mike Patterson.

DeSean Jackson

Second round, 49th overall, 5-10, 169.

FAST FACTS: He holds the Pac-10 record with six career punt returns for touchdowns and compares as a receiver to Steve Smith of the Carolina Panthers.

HOW HE FITS: Jackson likely will handle punt-return duties and may see action as third receiver.

Bryan Smith

McNeese State

Third round, 80th overall, 6-2, 231.

FAST FACT: Smith was defensive player of the year in the Southland Conference after registering 101/2 sacks and 221/2 tackles for losses as a senior.

HOW HE FITS: The Eagles say he's a defensive end, even though he's built more like an outside linebacker.

Mike McGlynn

Fourth round, 109th overall, 6-4, 314.

FAST FACTS: He played mostly at right tackle in college but is expected to move to either guard or center in the NFL.

HOW HE FITS: McGlynn probably will be a backup lineman as a rookie.

Quintin Demps

Fourth round, 117th overall, 6-0, 206.

FAST FACT: He has 17 career interceptions but he is not considered a physical safety.

HOW HE FITS: He'll likely play on special teams and learn the game from veteran Brian Dawkins.

Jack Ikegwuonu

Fourth round, 131st overall, 5-11, 194.

FAST FACTS: Ikegwuonu was arrested as a sophomore and charged with residential burglary and criminal trespass after allegedly breaking into an apartment with his twin brother, William, and stealing an Xbox game system. He left Wisconsin after his junior season.

HOW HE FITS: He will spend the 2008 season rehabilitating from a serious knee injury.

Mike Gibson

Sixth round, 184th overall, 6-3, 305.

FAST FACTS: Gibson played his first two seasons at Solano (Calif.) Community College before transferring to Cal. A concussion forced him to miss the Golden Bears' bowl game.

HOW HE FITS: He played tackle in college but will try to make the Eagles as a guard or center.

Joe Mays

Sixth round, 200th overall, 5-11, 245.

FAST FACTS: Mays was the Great West Conference defensive player of the year after registering 16 sacks and intercepting two passes.

HOW HE FITS: The Eagles already have a lot of young linebackers they like, so Mays might not be around on opening day.

Andy Studebaker

Sixth round, 203d overall, 6-3, 251.

FAST FACTS: His senior season at Division III Wheaton was cut short by a sprained right foot. He had a school record 171/2 sacks and 241/2 tackles for losses as a junior.

HOW HE FITS: He is projected as a defensive end, but it is hard to imagine him making the roster.

King Dunlap

Seventh round, 230th overall, 6-9, 310.

FAST FACTS: Dunlap was arrested on a misdemeanor warrant after failing to pay a parking ticket last fall. He lost his starting job because of inconsistency and injuries.

HOW HE FITS: He's another guy who'll be hard-pressed to make the team.

Lorenzo Booker

Acquired from Miami for a fourth-round pick, 5-10, 191.

FAST FACTS: He probably would have been taken instead of Tony Hunt in the third round if the Eagles had the chance last year. Booker caught 28 passes in seven games with the Dolphins.

HOW HE FITS: There is a good chance that he becomes the primary backup running back to Brian Westbrook.

- Bob Brookover