Potential Eagles' prospect Oher hopes to turn page after best-seller on his life story

"I was kind of too athletic a lot of the time," he said. "My senior year, I showed everybody how physical I was, and that I could be a nasty player and finish plays. [I] took my game to a whole new level my senior year. I worked a lot more on my technique, staying low, firing off the ball and just finishing plays."

The Eagles are a week away from free agency for both of their starting offensive tackles, 34-year-old Tra Thomas and 35-year-old Jon Runyan. They are discussing a new contract with Thomas' agent.

There has been no such word about Runyan, who is coming off right knee microfracture surgery. Offensive tackle Winston Justice, a 2006 second-round pick, is on the trading block.

It seems very likely the Birds will target an offensive tackle, drafting 21st and 28th overall in the first round.

ESPN draft expert Mel Kiper Jr. has the Eagles getting Oher at 28 after taking Ohio State running back Chris "Beanie" Wells at 21.

That would be quite a haul. NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock said recently that he thinks all four top o-tackles - Alabama's Andre Smith, Baylor's Jason Smith, Virginia's Eugene Monroe, and Oher - will go in the top 15. In that case, the Eagles would have to trade up to draft one of them; the second first-round pick could come in handy.

Oher said yesterday that NFL teams mostly seem to be aware of the book and his journey, but none of them asked any questions about it during the first meet-and-greet in Indianapolis, Wednesday evening.

"They just told me that they knew about it. They just told me they just wanted to talk football," Oher said. "It's all about playing football and just becoming an NFL player." *

For more Eagles coverage and opinion, read the Daily News' Eagles blog, Eagletarian, at www.eagletarian.com.