During NFL draft season, we all tend to go a bit overboard when defending or criticizing the incoming college class.
Whether it’s analysts declaring which teams won or lost the draft before the players have taken a snap, or fans losing their minds over selections they perceive to be reaches or steals, patience isn’t the football world’s strong suit.
The Atlanta Falcons drafted Clemson CB A.J. Terrell in the first round of the 2020 draft and the NFL analysts had a field day criticizing the choice.
“The pick that stunned me the most on Day 1 was Atlanta taking cornerback A.J. Terrell at No. 16,” said ESPN’s Mel Kiper. “It’s one of the biggest reaches of the past few years.”
Kiper’s opinion was shared by several top draft analysts, showing just how futile early judgments can be. After one year, Terrell looks like one of the year’s best first-round selections. In CBS Sports’ 2020 NFL redraft, the Falcons were one of very few teams to pick the same player.
“The Falcons actually pick their 2020 selection in this redraft,” wrote Chris Trapasso. “Terrell was far from perfect as a rookie, but had a handful of positive moments.”
Terrell’s success shouldn’t be such a surprise, though. He played against elite competition at an elite program that pumps out NFL talent. As for his physical traits, he was among the best in the entire draft in terms of Relative Athletic Score (R.A.S.).
Have a look at Terrell’s R.A.S. scorecard below, courtesy of Kent Lee Platte.
The former Clemson standout finished the 2020 season with 61 solo tackles, three forced fumbles, one interception and seven passes defended.
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