Peruse the predraft scouting reports on Eagles draft pick King Dunlap and you'll find the same damning word in almost every one of them.

Underachiever.

At 6-9 and a chiseled 310 pounds, the offensive tackle from Auburn has a first-round body. With a former track star mother and a former NFL defensive end dad, he has a first-round pedigree.

Nine months ago, when he was named a preseason All-America and All-Southeastern Conference choice, the first round was where many, including Dunlap, thought he would go in the draft.

But the kid killed any chance of that with a senior season from hell. Showed up for Auburn's preseason practices out of shape. Was arrested on a misdemeanor warrant right before the season opener for failing to pay a speeding ticket.

Gave up 4 1/2 sacks and six quarterback pressures in the first three games. Left the fourth game after only 13 plays with an elbow injury that kept him out of the next two games. Returned to the lineup and continued to play poorly. Finished the season on the bench.

"It didn't really end the way I wanted it to," Dunlap said. "I had some injuries and personal issues off the field. But there really is no excuse for the bad play. You've got to go out there and get it done. And I didn't do that."

Dunlap is a blot-out-the-sun giant, but his disappointing play last year at Auburn poisoned his chances of being an early-round draft pick.

He fell all the way to the seventh round, where the Eagles took him with the 230th pick. Thirty-four offensive linemen were claimed before him.

"He's a huge man," coach Andy Reid said. "Very gifted athletically. Things didn't work out for him [last year at Auburn]. But we look forward to seeing if a little change of scenery doesn't help."

Before the draft, Dunlap buckled his seat belt and prepared himself for a bumpy ride.

"I talked to my agent before the draft," he said. "We knew it was going to be kind of lower than I wanted it to be.

"I'm humbled enough to be in the seventh round. But there are a couple of thousand guys out there who didn't get drafted at all. It was late, but I'm happy to get drafted by this organization."

Dunlap said the underachiever label "allows me to come in with a chip on my shoulder."

"It doesn't make me mad," he said. "It just gives me more motivation coming in. I want to work hard and show them I'm not an underachiever."

 

Happy to be a 4-3 end

Bryan Smith, the 230-pound defensive end from McNeese State the Eagles selected in the third round, said most of the teams that worked him out before the draft played 3-4 defensive schemes. Until the Eagles took him, he thought his NFL future would be as a 3-4 rush linebacker.

Bryan Smith, the 230-pound defensive end from McNeese State the Eagles selected in the third round, said most of the teams that worked him out before the draft played 3-4 defensive schemes. Until the Eagles took him, he thought his NFL future would be as a 3-4 rush linebacker.

"There were more 3-4 teams that talked to me," said Smith, who played end in a 4-3 scheme at McNeese. "I was thinking that maybe I'd be playing linebacker. It's great that it turned out I'm going to be playing defensive end."

Smith said he's gotten his weight up to 238 pounds and hopes to be in the 245-to-250 range by training camp.

He thinks his speed (he ran a 4.7 40) will offset his lack of size in the NFL.

"My speed is big," he said. "Everything comes off the speed. That's the big factor in the way I play football."

 

Mean Mike

One thing scouts especially liked about Eagles fourth-rounder Mike McGlynn when he played at Pitt was was the offensive lineman's mean streak. He has a little - no, make that a lot - of Jon Runyan nastiness to him.

One thing scouts especially liked about Eagles fourth-rounder Mike McGlynn when he played at Pitt was was the offensive lineman's mean streak. He has a little - no, make that a lot - of Jon Runyan nastiness to him.

"If I could have the career Jon Runyan has had, I'll be really excited," McGlynn said. "He's a great tackle. I look at myself as a blue-collar type guy who wants to get the job done."

Asked whether he has a mean streak, McGlynn said smiled and said: "You could say that."

The Eagles plan to move him inside and give him reps at both guard and center. At Pitt, he was moved from right tackle to right guard his senior year. But the player who replaced him outside got injured two games into the season, and McGlynn moved back to tackle.

"I only played two games there [at guard], but it was a smooth transition for me. I felt comfortable playing guard and felt comfortable playing tackle. Wherever they want me to play, that's where I'll play."

 

McNabb a Hall of Famer

Donovan McNabb was excused from last night's team meeting. He was in Chicago being inducted into Mount Carmel High School's Hall of Fame. He is expected to be on the field for this morning's first minicamp practice, which gets under way at 10:30 at the NovaCare Complex.

Donovan McNabb was excused from last night's team meeting. He was in Chicago being inducted into Mount Carmel High School's Hall of Fame. He is expected to be on the field for this morning's first minicamp practice, which gets under way at 10:30 at the NovaCare Complex.

The Eagles will hold two practices today, two tomorrow and one on Monday. *