A look back at the 2013 draft trade for Desmond Trufant

Whatever Thomas Dimitroff wants, he gets, at a price.

The Falcons were just coming off of a big year in 2012 where they made the NFC Championship game, but fell short to the San Francisco 49ers.

One of the biggest needs of the offseason was cornerback, as Dunta Robinson was cut to save money, while Brent Grimes and Christopher Owens signed with other teams in free agency. With the 30 pick in the draft, it was not for certain that a cornerback would be there for the Falcons taking, so there was only one option: trade up.

In 2011, Dimitroff had just pulled off one of the biggest trades ever moving up to the 6 pick and acquiring Alabama wide reciever Julio Jones. In 2013, he decided to do the same thing.

There were already rumors swirling during the week that Falcons would trade up, particularly for a defensive back.

They ended up trading with the then-St.Louis Rams to acquire the No. 22 pick, along with a seventh-round pick, and gave up their 30 pick, third and six-round picks. With the 22nd pick, they drafted Desmond Trufant out of Washington.

Dimitroff admitted that Trufant was their targeted pick all offseason, and he was noted as one of best players in the draft at his position. The UW product came into the draft known as ballhawk, and his size and speed allowed him to do so. At 6’1, 190 pounds with a 40-yard dash time of 4.38, he had the ability to keep up with some of the best in the league.

Trufant has not disappointed so far, being along one of the top-10 cornerbacks in the league for years. Since he was drafted, he has started in every game he’s played in and has recorded 13 interceptions throughout his career. Looking back on it, it looks like Dimitroff once again won a trade for the Falcons, and it wasn’t his last time doing so either.