The Falcons found their replacement for Desmond Trufant after selecting Clemson cornerback A.J. Terrell in the first round. While the team desperately needed an upgrade at the defensive back position, not everyone agrees on Atlanta’s decision to grab Terrell with pick No. 16.
ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. is extremely down on the pick, saying the Falcons “reached for a need” as tweeted by Vaughn McClure below:
ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. has A.J. Terrell to Falcons as his No. 1 head-scratching move: “The Falcons reached for a need, plain and simple. … He was way too inconsistent throughout the season, and he didn't play well down the stretch. He has a tendency to get grabby.’’
— vaughn mcclure (@vxmcclure23) April 24, 2020
Touchdown Wire’s Luke Easterling expressed similar sentiments in his first-round draft grades, giving the Falcons a “D” for picking Terrell:
The first big reach of the first round, Atlanta wanted a corner badly, but they passed up a handful of prospects far more worthy of being selected in the top half of the first round.
Every year, analysts jump all over certain teams for “reaching”, while others are praised for getting perceived value with their picks. The 2020 NFL Draft has been a unique experience thus far. Considering the limitations due to the COVID-19 outbreak, there was less information available, particularly when it comes to medical evaluations.
It’s important to remember that draft grades are essentially meaningless and we won’t know what the Falcons have in Terrell until he actually gets on the field.
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