National Football League

Graham practices for 1st time with Eagles

Published Apr. 30, 2010 8:35 p.m. ET

foxsports

Brandon Graham walked onto the practice field, put on his new Eagles helmet and gazed into both the past and the future.

``I was kind of daydreaming, to be honest with you,'' Graham, the Philadelphia Eagles No. 1 draft pick out of Michigan, said between practices of the team's minicamp Friday. ``It's something I've always wanted, to be here. I just kept looking at my helmet; it was like 'Wow, I'm really here.' ``

Graham is here among a crowded field of defensive ends as the Eagles met for the first time in the post-Donovan McNabb era at their mandatory minicamp.

In his first practice, the No. 13 pick in the draft - he cost the Eagles two third-round picks to move up to get - ran with the second team.

``He's running with the 2s at left defensive end,'' coach Andy Reid said. ``The idea is to work the young guys into the system. That's what this weekend is all about. You don't want to give them too much to the point they can't function.''

It's only May. By September, both the Eagles and Graham expect him to be the starter at left defensive end opposite Pro Bowl right defensive end, Trent Cole. You don't trade up to No. 13, and sacrifice two premium picks for a backup.

``I'm willing to take it slow, learn what I need to learn,'' Graham said. ``That's what these camps are for, to learn. I plan to learn everything I can and be ready when the season starts. It won't happen in a day.''

In the mix with Graham is the incumbent starter, Juqua Parker, who is also the only non-kicker on the team to have celebrated his 30th birthday; newly acquired Darryl Tapp, who came in a trade from Seattle; fellow draft picks Daniel Te'o-Nesheim and Ricky Sapp; and veteran Victor Abiamiri.

Alex Hall, acquired from Cleveland in the Sheldon Brown trade, is listed as a linebacker, but took reps at defensive end Friday as well.

``He was a defensive end in college and a 3-4 linebacker in Cleveland,'' Reid said of Hall. ``His strength is rushing the quarterback.''

That's Graham's strength, too. And Sapp's and Te'o-Nesheim and Parker's.

``You can't have enough of them; that's the way I think,'' Reid said of his pass-rushing defensive ends.

Abiamiri, a second-round draft pick in 2007, is out again after knee surgery and appears to be in the most trouble of making the final roster.

Cole and Graham are givens. And Te'o-Nesheim would have to have a really bad camp to get cut, as a third-round pick. The same goes for Sapp.

And you wouldn't think the Eagles would give up on Tapp so soon. Plus, he is probably the best run stopper of the bunch.

That leaves the 31-year-old Parker on the bubble, too.

``I'm fine,'' he said. ``We'll just have to see how it goes. Stay tuned.''

NOTES: Other than Abiamiri, linebacker Omar Gaither (foot), center Jamaal Jackson (knee) and guard Max Jean-Gilles, who had a gastric band installed to lose weight, sat out practice and are not expected to participate all weekend. Defensive back Marlin Jackson (knee), tight end Cornelius Ingram (knee), cornerback Ellis Hobbs (back) and second-round draft pick Nate Allen (quad) practiced on a limited basis. With Jackson out after tearing his ACL late last season, third-year man Mike McGlynn got most of the work at center. ... Newly acquired linebacker Ernie Sims, who came in a trade with Detroit, ran with the first team at weakside linebacker, with Akeem Jordan in a backup role. Reid pointed out that Jordan ``can play all three linebacker spots.''