Thomas Dimitroff Should Trade Down, Not Up

During his time as general manager of the Atlanta Falcons, Thomas Dimitroff has more known more for his aggressive draft approach than a measured one, but he needs to go with the latter in 2015.

It makes sense to trade up in the 1st round of the NFL Draft when there’s a player you want. But that should be the case when moving from the 25th pick to the 22nd pick or something similar, not from the 8th pick to the 5th pick.

A top 10 draft selection is a valuable commodity. Those spots are reserved for top tier athletes who project as future pro bowlers. They are for franchise players who can make a difference on your team for the next decade. If you have one of these top picks, you should be able to acquire a player of this caliber without moving up even further.

There are a couple of exceptions, however. If you need a quarterback – the most important position on the field – then you should move up to select the guy who want by whatever means necessary.

If there is a sure-fire game-changing player then by all means trade up. When Dimitroff mortgaged the farm for Julio Jones; it was costly but ultimately a good pick because he’s one of the best wide receivers in the NFL.

The Falcons don’t need a quarterback. They don’t need a wide receiver. They drafted a Left Tackle in the top 10 last year. The consensus is Atlanta needs a dominant linebacker or defensive end who can rush the passer – and that’s how they need to use their 8th overall pick.