Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- The Atlanta Falcons entered the draft with a clear need at cornerback despite having a quality starter on one side of the formation.
- Sources confirm the front office selected a player who slipped to Round 2 due to concerns about his physical measurements for outside play.
- The rookie is expected to immediately contend for significant playing time, offering the defense a potential upgrade over last year's struggles.
Loads of NFL media members will focus on the Atlanta Falcons' decision to draft Avieon Terrell as one of the draft's best human interest stories. The former Clemson star will get the unique opportunity to play alongside his brother in Atlanta's secondary next season. Make no mistake, the Falcons front office did not choose the younger Terrell brother just to win over the hearts and minds of football fans.
This was a football-driven decision by GM Ian Cunningham and his front office. They came into the draft with a clear need at cornerback despite AJ Terrell's quality play on one side of the formation. Heading into next season with Mike Hughes as the projected starter opposite Terrell would have delighted offensive coordinators tasked with attacking the Falcons defense in 2026.
Avieon Terrell slipped into Round 2 because he lacks the ideal measurements to thrive on the outside as a pro. The Falcons are one team that should give him a chance to play on the boundary and in the slot as a rookie. Billy Bowman was the team's projected starter in the slot heading into the draft but his performance in 2025 was even worse than the production Hughes gave Atlanta a season ago.
How much will Avieon Terrell help the Falcons as a rookie?
The rookie has the open runway to get all the snaps he can handle during his first season as a pro. His lack of length might cause him to struggle against some of the league's biggest wideouts. As a result, the defensive staff in Atlanta should work hard to manage his matchups on a weekly basis. Some weeks it might make more sense to deploy him in the slot rather than expose him to big-bodied pass catchers on the perimeter.
Bird Brothers: The Falcons just drafted Clemson CB Avieon Terrell, younger brother of their standout CB A.J. Terrell, at No. 48.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) April 25, 2026
That lack of length is the reason he fell to the Falcons in Round 2. The good news is that he has all of the other skills required to be a quality starting cornerback in the NFL. Atlanta's front office deserves credit for focusing more attention on what Terrell can do as opposed to what he might struggle with.
The end result for the Falcons is that they've drafted a cornerback who should be an immediate starter for them as a rookie. If he gives them anything approaching average starting cornerback play, it will give Atlanta's defense a major boost. That amounts to excellent value for a player that only cost them a Day 2 pick. Terrell is an excellent pick for Atlanta no matter who he happens to be related to on their current roster.
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