When Brian Westbrook underwent ankle surgery that apparently will sideline him well into training camp, and keep him out of preseason games, it became extremely important for the Eagles to sign LeSean McCoy and get the rookie running back to Lehigh on time.

That's not to say that holdouts among second-round draftees are common; in any case, the Eagles erased that possibility by agreeing to terms with McCoy and agent Drew Rosenhaus on a 4-year deal last night. Terms were not immediately available.

Rosenhaus, who initially announced the deal on his Twitter feed, is the first agent to reach agreement on a pact for a 2009 second-round pick. Often, agents want to see what players clustered around where their clients were drafted get before they commit, but this might be more crucial in the first round, where the money is bigger.

Asked about coming to terms so quickly, Rosenhaus replied in an e-mail to the Daily News: "The Eagles deserve credit for being aggressive and fair.''

McCoy, who turns 21 on July 12, scored 36 touchdowns in 2 years at Pitt - 35 rushing and one receiving. He rushed for 2,816 yards on 584 carries and caught 65 passes for 549 yards. In Eagles minicamps this spring, he showed quickness and effortless pass-catching ability, running routes as naturally as a wide receiver.

The agreement leaves first-round wideout Jeremy Maclin as the only unsigned Eagles draftee. Internet reports that surfaced a little more than a week ago about Maclin agreeing to terms were unfounded. But a source close to Maclin has said he understands how holdouts tend to damage rookies' progress, and that he has every intention of being signed by July 26, when rookies are scheduled to report to Lehigh. *