When the Falcons are on the clock, you have to keep your head on a draft-day swivel.
In each of the past 11 drafts, Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff has made a trade.
It could be a big trade (Julio Jones deal) or it could be a small one (moving up to get Russell Gage in the sixth round last year).
But there’s going to be a trade.
Here’s a look at Dimitroff’s draft-day trades over the years.
2018: The Falcons traded with the Rams to move up to get a sixth-round pick No. 194 (Russell Gage) and gave up two seventh-round picks, 244 (Justin Lawler, DE, SMU) and 256 (traded to Redskins).
2017: The Falcons traded up with Seattle to get the 26th pick overall (Takkarist McKinley) and gave up the 31st pick (traded to 49ers), third round No. 95 (Delano Hill, S, Michigan), seventh round No. 249 (Chris Carson, RB, Oklahoma State, Parkview High). The Falcons traded down with the Buffalo Bills, dealing their No. 63 overall pick (Deion Dawkins, G, Temple) for Buffalo's No. 75 (Duke Riley, LB, LSU), No. 149 (Damontae Kazee, CB, San Diego State) and No. 156 picks (Brian Hill, RB, Wyoming).
2016: The Falcons traded back into the second round with the Texans. The moved from 50 to 52 (Deion Jones) and picked up a sixth-round pick (195th), which turned into Wes Schweitzer. The Texans took offensive lineman Nick Martin with the 50th pick. The Falcons gave up their sixth-round pick to Tennessee as part of the Andy Levitre trade.
2015: The Falcons traded up nine spots to land defensive tackle Grady Jarrett in the fifth round with the 137th overall pick. They traded with the Minnesota Vikings and gave up their fifth-round pick (146) and sixth-round pick (185). The Vikings used the 146th pick to select wide receiver Stefon Diggs and the 185rh pick to select Oklahoma tackle Tyrus Thompson. Diggs made the PFWA All-Rookie team.
2014: The Falcons traded their sixth-round pick (182 overall) and one of their three seventh-round picks (220) for the Vikings' fifth-round pick (168). They selected Syracuse linebacker Marquis Spruill with the pick.
2013: The Falcons traded from 30 to 22 in the first round to land cornerback Desmond Trufant. The Falcons traded with the St. Louis Rams They gave up a third- and a sixth-round pick. In the fifth round, the Falcons traded up 10 picks to get TCU defensive end Stansly Maponga. They sent a seventh-round pick (236) to the Chicago Bears.
2011: There was the 5-for-1 mega-deal with Cleveland to move up 21 spots to land wide receiver Julio Jones. Later, in the fifth round after the spotlight was off the Falcons, Dimitroff sent two picks to St. Louis to move up 10 spots to scoop up running back Jacquizz Rodgers.
2010: Oklahoma cornerback Dominique Franks, who left school a year early, was slipping in the draft. Dimitroff sent two picks to St. Louis to move up 14 spots to acquire Franks.
2009: Dimitroff felt he could get his guy by going back 13 spots in the fifth round. The Falcons made a deal to send their fifth-round pick to Dallas. They moved back 13 spots and picked up a seventh-round pick for their troubles. They drafted offensive lineman Garrett Reynolds in the fifth and Vance Walker in the seventh.
2008: There was a run on left tackles. With the Falcons needing protection for Matt Ryan, Dimitroff sent two second-round picks and a fourth-round pick to Washington to move back into the first round and pick Sam Baker with the 21st overall pick. They also received third- and fifth-round picks. The Falcons used those picks to select wide receiver Harry Douglas (84th overall) and defensive end Kroy Biermann (154th).
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