National Football League

Dolphins trade up to take OLB Jordan

Published Apr. 25, 2013 1:00 a.m. ET

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The Miami Dolphins began the draft with the most picks of any team, and they used two of them to select pass rusher Dion Jordan of Oregon.

Miami general manager Jeff Ireland swung a trade Thursday night with Oakland to move up nine spots in the first round and take Jordan with the overall No. 3 pick.

The Dolphins needed a left tackle, and three of top four picks in the draft were tackles, but Ireland instead opted to upgrade a defense lacking in playmakers.

Miami tied for fourth-worst in the league last year in takeaways.

Jordan, who attended the draft in New York, didn't see the pick coming.

''I was surprised,'' he said. ''The trade, I wasn't expecting that. I'm surprised and very blessed and ready to go to work.''

The 6-foot-6, 240-pound Jordan, who can play defensive end or outside linebacker, has drawn comparisons to former Dolphin Jason Taylor. Jordan had 14.5 sacks in 45 games with Oregon, and as a senior he had five sacks and forced three fumbles.

To acquire Jordan, Miami gave Oakland the No. 12 and No. 42 overall choices. The latter was the first of two picks the Dolphins had in the second round.

The Dolphins, who began the draft with 11 picks, might yet fill their hole at left tackle by trading for Branden Albert of the Kansas City Chiefs. The teams have been negotiating a deal for several days, and the Chiefs used the No. 1 overall selection to take Central Michigan left tackle Eric Fisher.

Miami seeks a replacement for tackle Jake Long, the No. 1 overall choice in 2008, who departed to St. Louis via free agency.

Jordan wasn't regarded a can't-miss prospect. He wasn't an every-down player at Oregon, and he missed playing time last season because of a right shoulder injury.

But the Dolphins envision him as a complement to Pro Bowl defensive end Cameron Wake, who ranked fourth in the NFL last year with 15 sacks.

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