The Atlanta Falcons are as high on top NFL draft prospect Jadeveon Clowney as anyone, but while the Falcons might be willing to trade up from the No. 6 position, don't look for general manager Thomas Dimitroff to give away the house trading up to land Clowney or anyone else.
If Dimitroff's comments to ajc.com are to be taken at face value, that's the takeaway on where the team stands regarding Clowney and its approximate opportunity to draft the gifted defensive end from South Carolina.
Dimitroff on Clowney: "I'll just say what everybody in the country knows: Jadeveon Clowney is a top notch talent and he's going to make a team happy and he's going to be a legitimate difference-maker in this game. The people with the top two picks know that."
Dimitroff on the possibility of trading up: "The top 10 in the 2014 draft is a group of top notch players. So we're not going to be disappointed if we're picking in the top 10."
Dimitroff's reference to the top two picks, belonging to the Houston Texans and St. Louis Rams, is interesting considering that both the Texans and Rams have indicated that they might be open to trading down. A club intent on adding Clowney's prolific pass-rushing skill might be wise to trade up with one of them.
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