Getty Jerry Jeudy #4 of the Alabama Crimson Tide is tackled by A.J. Terrell #8.
The Falcons went into the 2020 NFL Draft with defense on their mind. They looked to former Clemson standout A.J. Terrell in the first round to fill their cornerback void.
Terrell joined The Jim Rome Show recently in one of his first media appearances as a rookie to talk about his transition into the league and what to expect in Atlanta.
Ready to Work
Terrell and the Falcons had been in contact through the predraft process and he wasn’t too surprised to get the call from Atlanta.
“I knew that it was a need and the Falcons needed a corner and with me being in Atlanta it would be a good fit,” Terrell said. “All of the things that I bring to the table with my length, size, and versatility and being able to get in the dude’s face, playing man and zone. Everything in me will be going into the Falcons so I’m ready to go to work.”
The Falcons currently have four guys at the cornerback position. Terrell will compete for playing time this offseason but should come out on top. Isaiah Oliver and Kendall Sheffield are the only top tier corners on the roster at the moment, and even then he’ll only need to worry about being up against Sheffield.
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Up for the Challenge
The Falcons competition isn’t at all easy this year especially with elite quarterbacks like Drew Brees, Tom Brady, Russ Wilson, or Aaron Rodgers. Can’t forget about receivers who will be joining them like Mike Thomas, Mike Evans, or Chris Godwin.
But, Terrell will get a nice taste of the talent in his own practices with Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley on the Falcons offense.
“I’m really for all of the competition,” Terrell said. “Day in and day out, competing in practice and winning the reps in practice with the receiving core that we already have in (Julio Jones) and (Calvin Ridley) and translating that over into the game.”
Ending on a Bad Note
The last game Terrell played in seems to be that one everyone remembers the most, the National Championship game.
Terrell struggled to defend LSU star wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase allowing him to catch a 52-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter.
“You’ve got to look at every game as a learning experience, whether good or bad,” Terrell said. “And for me just having that chip on my shoulder knowing that I didn’t end my career as well as I would have wanted to.”
When you look past the championship game and at his college career as a whole, Terrell is a promising player who will help the Falcons in the long haul. He’s quick, lengthy, and extremely aggressive so, don’t let his one moment on the big stage fool you. There’s no doubt he’s going to make up for it and show Atlanta that he’s pro worthy.
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