Getty Terrell #8 of the Clemson Tigers.
The Falcons will start their 2020 first-round pic, AJ Terrell, against the Seahawks this Sunday.
When the Falcons drafted Terrell in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft this year, many fans were surprised and seemingly disappointed that Atlanta didn’t trade up after talking such a big game.
People tend to hang on to first impressions [the LSU game], but Terrell is getting a fresh start come Sunday and he’s earned it.
As a Clemson grad, Terrell played in a total of 38 games and recorded 101 tackles and six interceptions.
Terrell Turning Heads in Training Camp
Terrell showed no mercy in training camp snagging balls from Julio Jones.
The rook, @ajterrell_8 is out here turning heads.
Get used to it.
According to Falcons cornerback coach Joe Whitt Jr., Terrell soaks up information like a sponge.
“He’s everything a coach really wants as a player, because he’s like a sponge,” Whitt Jr. said via 257 Sports. “Anything you give him; he soaks it up and then he goes out there and he tries to do it exactly the way that you asked him to do it. And that’s what will give him a great opportunity to be a great player, because he has a skill set that is unique. If he can get his skill set to match the hunger that he has and the drive that he’s been putting forth to learning this package and being part of this team, we could have a really good football player.”
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Terrell Stands Out During Offseason
The rookies had frequent app tests which were a great way for the coaches to get a feel as to who was grasping the plays and concepts. The most important part was the timing and comprehension because in a real-time game, you have to be able to think on your feet and you don’t get to look back at your notes.
“The testing app or making on on your own, they’re good because they’re fun. The app ones are good because it measures how quickly and how accurately. So, that’s a good one as opposed to a guy who’s taking a test for two hours looking through his notes. You don’t get those kinds of tests, so how quickly guys can think was a lot of fun.”
According to ESPN’s Vaughn McClure, Terrell and Hennessy were the fastest players when it came to test-taking. This is a relief considering they’re two of the most important additions to the team and if they can transition quickly enough into the NFL, then game-changing plays will be made between the two.
Terrell Was the Pick Atlanta Needed
When you look past the National Championship Game, which everyone seems to focus too much on, Terrell is a solid and reliable cornerback. That’s something that he Falcons are lacking considering all of there current corners are fairly young and inconsistent.
But, thankfully the Falcons won themselves a big, tall, and athletic corner. That’s what you need in the NFC South division when you’re facing receivers like Michael Thomas.
The 6-foot-1, 195 pounds former Tiger certainly has the length a lot of NFL teams look for in a pro corner. In his final season at Clemson, Terrell finished as a first-team all-conference selection recording 37 tackles, two interceptions, and six pass breakups in 15 starts.
Get ready for him to shine on Sunday at 1:00 PM against the Seattle Seahawks.
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