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Falcons schedule private workout with LSU LB Deion Jones

Atlanta may finally be adding speed at the linebacker position.

Stacy Revere/Getty Images

The Atlanta Falcons have primarily focused on offense during free agency, so it is a safe bet the team will be drafting a lot of defensive players. Both Dan Quinn and Thomas Dimitroff have openly talked about adding speed at linebacker, likely after both were able to beat every linebacker in a foot race.

Now the team is meeting with one of the fastest linebackers in the draft, per ESPN's Vaughn McClure.

The Atlanta Falcons, seeking more speed at linebacker, have a private workout scheduled with draft prospect Deion Jones from LSU on Thursday. The 6-foot-1-inch, 221-pound Jones is fresh off running a 4.38 in the 40-yard dash at LSU's Pro Day, faster than the 4.59 he posted at the NFL combine. He started generating interest from the Falcons during the Senior Bowl.

That would be a sizable improvement at linebacker. Since drafting Sean Weatherspoon, the team's only serious investments in linebacker were Akeem Dent in 2011 and Brooks Reed last year. Vaughn suggests that the Falcons could draft University of Ohio Ohio State's Darron Lee in the first round, then pick up Jones in the second round. If the team could secure both players, the defense should take another significant step forward.