The Atlanta Falcons were one of six teams to select a cornerback in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft, adding Clemson’s A.J. Terrell.
With the Falcons releasing veteran Desmond Trufant at the start of free agency, Terrell is likely to be inserted into the starting lineup as a rookie. In situations like these, scheme fit becomes critical.
Pro Football Focus recently broke down all six of this year’s first-round cornerbacks, looking at each player’s strengths and how they could fit within their team’s defensive scheme. Here’s an excerpt of what PFF wrote about Terrell:
Even with his 4.42 speed, Terrell was beaten repeatedly by LSU’s Ja’Marr Chase in the national championship game, where he allowed 143 yards and two touchdowns on five receptions. That said, his body of work across his entire college career paints a much better picture.
During his two seasons as a starter for the Clemson Tigers, he allowed a completion rate of 52.9% on 102 targets to go along with his five interceptions. His 78.6 passer rating allowed and his average of 0.89 yards per coverage snap rank 36th and 13th, respectively, among the 105 cornerbacks who saw at least 100 targets over that period. He is also one of only 11 qualifying players in the nation who earned a 78.0-plus coverage grade in both man and zone coverage.
Last season, as the article points out, Terrell had a man coverage grade of 83.5 and a zone coverage rating of 78.9. That versatility will bode well for the rookie as a probable starter on the outside in Week 1.
Terrell’s elite speed can help him recover when he makes a mistake and gets out of position. Plus, as he recently said on Jim Rome’s show, going up against Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley in practice every day will help more than anything.
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