The Sports Xchange

Atlanta Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff could be willing to move up in the draft for Florida defensive end Dante Fowler Jr.

If the opportunity is presented, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution said Tuesday that Dimitroff and coach Dan Quinn appear to be in agreement that Fowler is worth the investment. Quinn recruited Fowler and coached him for two years with the Gators. He had 8.5 sacks last season as a junior and projects to the “LEO” pass-rushing end position if reunited with Quinn.

“There is a lot of discussions already about moving both ways with a lot of our peers in the league,” Dimitroff said. “A lot of it has to do with what goes down with the top three picks. That’s going to set the tone for how much movement there is into the top 10 and even in the top five.”

At No. 8 overall, teams likely know Dimitroff will dance if he can find the appropriate partner. He has made a deal in every draft since he became general manager of the Falcons. The ideal spot for a swap could be No. 4 with the Oakland Raiders or the next spot, where Washington Redskins general manager Scot McCloughan already announced he was open for business.

Quinn said at the scouting combine that he considers Fowler an NFL-ready edge rusher, an ideal fit in his 4-3 scheme that relies on defensive ends to create havoc. “It’s very rewarding for me to see that Dante’s turned out to be the player that we thought maybe he would have been three or four years ago,” Quinn said. “And now it’s up to him to continue and take the next step and develop.”

Fowler said in February that the feeling is mutual. Quinn recruited Fowler as a five-star recruit and both describe their relationship as “close.”

“I love him — Coach Quinn is a great guy,” Fowler said.

The Falcons are familiar with the cost of going up in the draft. In 2011, the Falcons sent five picks to the Cleveland Browns to go up 21 spots for Alabama wide receiver Julio Jones. In 2013, Dimitroff went from 30 to 22 for cornerback Desmond Trufant.