Eagles moved up 11 places to draft Brandon Graham.

The Eagles took a big step in rebuilding a defense that had slipped in recent years when the team traded two third round draft picks plus its own first round pick (No. 24) to the Denver Broncos for the right to draft Michigan standout defensive end Brandon Graham.

Eagles coach Andy Reid gave many reason why he was delighted to grab the 6-foot-2, 263-pounder.

“The thing we liked about Brandon was he’s a relentless player,” Reid said shortly after he made the pick. “I think a combination of Brandon and our other defensive linemen, Trent Cole, and so on; the addition of [Darryl] Tapp, and [Juqua Parker] and [Victor] Abiamiri. It’s a great combination of guys right there. We went into this offseason wanting to better ourselves on the defensive line. We thought this helps us out. The thing I know with good defensive linemen is it makes everybody around them better. So, when you have a defensive line that’s getting after it, all of a sudden the corners look a little better and the safeties look a little better and the linebackers look a little better. That’s why we made this move.”

Graham led the country with 26 tackles for loss last year. He became the third first-round pick the Wolverines have produced in the last four years, joining left tackle Jake Long (the Dolphins’ top pick and No. 1 overall in 2008) and cornerback Leon Hall (No. 18 to the Bengals in 2007).

Graham said he did not know the Eagles like him that much.

“I was very surprised because I just saw the Eagles at the combine,” Graham said. “We met for 15 minutes, I talked with a couple of different scouts, but never in a million years did I think Philadelphia was coming for me.”

The Big Ten co-MVP for 2009 said he realizes the expectations will be high since the Eagles gave up so much to get him. It is a challenge he said he welcomes.

“It makes me feel real good,” Graham said. “I know that I have a lot of responsibility, because if they’re going to trade up for me, they’re expecting a lot from me. I’m going to give them what they’re looking for. I just appreciate the opportunity to be a Philadelphia Eagle.”