Thunder, meet your new Lightning. Lightning, meet your new Thunder.

The very active Atlanta Falcons made another trade in the 2011 NFL draft and moved up to the fifth round to select running back Jacquizz Rodgers from the Oregon State Beavers on Saturday.

Rodgers will likely compliment Michael Turner at running back, a role that was never really fulfilled by the oft-injured Jerious Norwood.

While the 5-foot-6, 196-pound rusher from Texas may be undersized for the NFL, Rodgers is an explosive back who has exceptional short burst quickness. However, he did not post a great 40-yard dash time at the NFL combines, finishing with a pedestrian time of 4.64 seconds.

Rodgers' 40-yard dash time was obviously overlooked by Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff, who called Atlanta’s GM "brilliant" for the move and equated Rodgers with another tiny back -– former New York Giants rusher Joe Morris.

The former Beaver rushed for 1,184 yards on 256 carries and 14 touchdowns in his junior season with Oregon State. Rodgers finished with 3,877 yards and 46 TDs in three seasons with the Beavers.

The move could mark the end for oft-injured Norwood. Norwood, who rushed for just eight yards on two carries before getting injured in Week 2 last season, will be a restricted free agent once labor strife is settled and the NFL year begins.

The former Mississippi State standout rushed for 1,955 yards on 375 carries with seven TDs in 57 NFL games.

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-- PHIL FOLEY
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