Lorenzo Booker Philadelphia Eagles, philadelphiaeagles, philly eagles, phila eagles, desean jackson

Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - The Philadelphia Eagles acquired running back Lorenzo Booker from the Miami Dolphins in a draft-day trade, the team announced Saturday.

Philadelphia acquired the 5-foot-11, 191-pound Booker in exchange for a fourth-round draft pick (115th overall).

Booker, a third-round pick out of Florida State in 2007, played in seven games for the Dolphins last season, rushing for 125 yards on 28 carries and catching 28 passes for 127 yards.

"I was definitely shocked," Booker said. " It is kind of weird, because everything has been going so well (in Miami). It's not to say that what just happened was a bad thing, but the question was, was I shocked."

Over his four-year career in Tallahassee, Booker racked up 497 carries for 2,389 yards and 15 touchdowns, while snaring 114 passes for 995 yards and a pair of scores. He joins a crowded Eagles backfield that already includes Brian Westbrook, Correll Buckhalter, Tony Hunt and Ryan Moats.

Lorenzo Booker was watching the draft yesterday as a casual observer when, suddenly, he realized he was part of it.

"I was definitely shocked," Booker said, using a word that probably described what a lot of Eagles fans felt as they watched yesterday's proceedings unfold. "I was just laughing about that. This is not even my draft and, here I am, on the phone again. It's just kind of funny when you think about it."

Booker, a rookie in 2007 with the Miami Dolphins, was traded to the Eagles for a fourth-round draft choice. Miami got the 114th overall pick and will make that selection today. The Eagles, in turn, got a running back that they had coveted last year at this time.

"He's somebody we really liked in the draft last year and we couldn't pull it off where we were able to get him last year, but he's somebody we've had our eyes on," Eagles coach Andy Reid said.

One thing the Eagles undoubtedly like about Booker is his ability to catch the football. He had 28 catches, five more than Eagles receiver Jason Avant, while playing in seven games for the Dolphins. He finished with 237 receiving yards. Booker also ran the ball 28 times for 125 yards.

"I love catching the ball just as much as I love running it," he said. "I got a chance to play a lot at the end of the year and . . . that was one of the things I excelled in. I wanted to line up a little more in the slot to show that I could do that, too. Hopefully that will be something I get a chance to do in Philly."

It sounds as if he will get that opportunity.

"He does some of the same things Brian Westbrook does," Reid said. "You can flex him out and throw him the football. I think that the combination of he and Brian on the field will really be a nice combination for our offense."

Booker, despite being shocked, was not saddened when he found out he had been dealt to the Eagles from a team that went 1-15 last season.

"I can't say that I'm the least bit upset," he said. "It's a spread offense and any time you can get a chance to play in an offense like that, you have to be excited."

Extra points The draft resumes with the third round at 10 a.m. today. Teams will get five minutes between picks. The Eagles have one pick in the third round (80th overall), three in the fourth (109, 117 and 131), four in the sixth (184, 191, 200 and 203), and one in the seventh (230). No. 109 (Panthers) and No. 117 (Vikings) came in trades yesterday.. . . Second-rounders Trevor Laws and DeSean Jackson will be at the NovaCare Complex at some point today. - Bob Brookover

PHILADELPHIA - The Eagles evidently were not as high on the running backs available in the draft Saturday as much as one who was picked by Miami last year.

They traded their first-round pick to Carolina rather than select Arkansas' Felix Jones, Illinois' Rashard Mendenhall or East Carolina's Chris Johnson at No. 19, then shipped a fourth-rounder (No. 115 overall) to the Dolphins for Lorenzo Booker.

"I was definitely shocked," Booker said in a phone interview from Miami. "It's kind of weird (to be traded) because everything has been going so well for me here (with the Dolphins).

"But that's not to say that what just happened was a bad thing. Because of the situation I'm going to, I can't say that I'm the least bit upset. Anytime you get a chance to play in an offense like (Philadelphia's), you have to be excited."

Booker, 5-foot-10 and 191 pounds, was the Dolphins' third-round draft pick last year out of Florida State. He sat on the bench for most of his rookie season, even after starter Ronnie Brown suffered a season-ending knee injury.

Dolphins coach Cam Cameron - now Baltimore's offensive coordinator - finally gave Booker a shot at the end of a 1-15 season. The 23-year-old rushed for 125 yards on 28 carries and caught 28 passes for 237 yards in seven games.

"Catching passes is definitely a strength of mine," Booker said. "I love catching the ball as much as I love running with it. Hopefully, that is something I can get a chance to do in Philly."

With the Eagles, Booker will compete with Correll Buckhalter, Tony Hunt and possibly Ryan Moats for a reserve role behind Pro Bowler Brian Westbrook.

Booker's strength is his versatility. His advantage over the other candidates is his ability to catch the football, something coach Andy Reid and offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg value in their running backs.

"He's very similar to Brian Westbrook in that we can flex him out as a receiver," Reid said. "The combination of him and Brian on the field at the same time will be very good for us."

Looking to today

The Eagles still have 10 picks in the draft, which resumes today at 10 a.m. They are required to make their three compensatory picks - one in the fourth round and two in the sixth - but will presumably try to get rid of some of the other selections.

"This is a very strong draft in the middle rounds, the third and fourth," Reid said. "Now we've got some ammunition to go up and get somebody if we want them."

Lito still an Eagle

Trading cornerback Lito Sheppard does not seem to be high on their list of priorities.

Although several teams inquired about Sheppard on Saturday, no one bowled the Eagles over with an offer.

"Right now, Lito is a Philadelphia Eagle," Reid said. "Lito's a good football player and we're not just going to give him up."