Eagles Notes

It would be difficult to find an NFL scout or team that believed Eagles second-round pick DeSean Jackson lacked the talent to play at the next level. Some teams, however, shied away from him because they thought he could be an attitude problem.

"I just feel like I'm a passionate person and I'm a guy that likes winning," Jackson said yesterday when asked about that impression. "It's hard for me to lose coming from Long Beach Poly, and I just have the will to go out and make great things happen for the organization. My teammates understand what type of player I am, and I'll put it on the line for my team whenever possible."

How does Jackson describe his personality?

"I'm a very good guy," he said. "I get along with everybody. I'm a coachable guy, and I'm a hardworking guy. I'm a professional now, and I definitely want to handle things in a professional manner."

The Eagles will get their first look at Jackson as a wide receiver and returner this morning when they open their post-draft minicamp.

"I know coach Andy Reid has high hopes for me," Jackson said. "I just have to come in, put in a lot of hard work, and show them I'm ready for anything - whether it's punt returner or receiver. I'm ready for both."

King size

As the Eagles rookies checked into the NovaCare Complex yesterday, it was easier to pick out some of the new faces than others.

King Dunlap - 6-foot-8, 310 pounds, and wearing size-18 sneakers - stood out in the crowd. What Dunlap didn't do during his senior season at Auburn was stand out. That's why he went from being a potential first-day pick in this year's draft to a seventh-round selection who didn't finish the year in the Tigers' starting lineup.

"I didn't end on a good note in my senior year," Dunlap said. "I had a couple of injuries, and I wasn't playing too well at the end of the season. I can't go back and change what happened. I'm trying to move on and start another career in the NFL."

A sprained left elbow forced Dunlap to miss two games early in the season, but he returned to have his best game of the season against eventual national champion Louisiana State. After two poor performances in the following two weeks, Dunlap was benched for the last two games.

"I had some injuries and some personal issues going on, but that's not an excuse for bad play," Dunlap said. "You have to go out there and get it done, and I didn't do that."

Dunlap, a natural left tackle, said that being labeled an underachiever has made him more determined to prove he can play in the NFL.

"I think I'm coming in with a chip on my shoulder," he said. "Saying I'm an underachiever doesn't make me mad, but it gives me a little more motivation to work hard."

Dunlap said he looked forward to learning from veteran tackles Tra Thomas and Jon Runyan.

"I've been watching Tra for a while, and Runyan was with the Titans and I'm from Nashville, so I saw him when he was playing O-line in that organization," Dunlap said. "I've been watching Tra since I was at Auburn, because I'd try to watch some of the best tackles in the league and mimic what they do. Now, to be able to practice with him, I'm just excited."

Extra points

Quarterback Donovan McNabb was excused from last night's team meeting because he was being inducted into the Mount Carmel High School Hall of Fame in Chicago. McNabb is expected to be at this morning's first workout. . . . McNeese State defensive end Bryan Smith said he weighs about 238 pounds, which is definitely undersize for his position. Smith said he would like to play at 245 to 250 pounds. . . . The easiest trip for the cast of rookies reporting yesterday was made by wide receiver Shaheer McBride, the undrafted free agent out of Delaware State and Chester High. "It was just 10 miles down the road," McBride said. "I've been in this area pretty often." McBride may know the area, but he said he has never been to a professional sporting event in his life.

- Bob Brookover