NFL Draft 2013: Atlanta Falcons May Trade Up to Select Dee Milliner or Dion Jordan

The Atlanta Falcons broke the bank and shocked millions when they threw together a large package of expensive picks to trade up and draft Alabama wide receiver Julio Jones back in 2011. Atlanta is built to win now, which means they don’t need to sit around and compile draft picks to craft a winner, and general manager Thomas Dimitroff may be planning on pulling off another package deal to trade up and select an Alabama standout.

According to CBS Sports NFL guru Jason LaCanfora, the Falcons are very high on Oregon defensive end Dion Jordan and Alabama cornerback Dee Milliner and they could look to trade up into the top-ten to draft either one of them.

"The Falcons are high on pass rusher Dion Jordan from Oregon and cornerback Dee Milliner from Alabama, sources said. Both are seen as the best at their position by many — with a considerable drop-off — and both are acute needs for the Falcons, who believe they are on the cusp of a title and are operating as if they are a player or two away (as the Jones trade evidenced)."

This is a move that should be watched very closely moving forward. As stated, the Falcons are built to win now and having loads of picks in the later rounds — or even the late first-round– don’t do the Falcons much good. They swung for the fences once and hit it out of the park with Julio Jones. If the Falcons landed Milliner or a vicious edge rusher like Jordan, it’s not only a case of the rich getting richer, it’s a case of a brilliant general manager going back to the well to make his team better and prove to the league that drafting is more than just scouting for where you’re picking in the draft, it’s about going out and getting what you want to make your team the best it can possibly be.