Atlanta Falcons: A tale of two rookies in 2020

Atlanta Falcons rookies have been hit or miss in 2020.

After the 2020 NFL Draft, Atlanta Falcons fans loved the selection of Marlon Davidson out of Auburn and despised the pick of AJ Terrell out of Clemson.

However, as we sit in the middle of Week 17, Davidson has been a no-show and Terrell is the highest-rated rookie corner from the 2020 NFL draft and will more than likely be among the NFL All-Rookie team.

The last Atlanta Falcons rookie defender to be named to the All-Rookie team was Deion Jones in 2016.

Coming out of the draft, all Atlanta Falcons fans thought of when they thought of AJ Terrell, was the plays he gave up to the LSU offense in the 2019 national title game. However, it was pointed out that the throws that beat him were perfect as was his coverage.

That ability to cover has followed Terrell into the NFL. While he has had a few issues week to week, he has by far been the Falcons’ best cover corner and has made several tremendous plays. The future for Terrell is bright and the Falcons no doubt made the right pick with their first-round pick.

Marlon Davidson is a different story.

Davidson has been active for just seven games this season and in those seven games has averaged just 23 percent of the defensive snaps for the Atlanta Falcons. In the 117 defensive snaps for the rookie defensive lineman, he has accumulated just six tackles, zero tackles for loss, zero sacks, and zero QB hits.

He has been such a non-factor that most Atlanta Falcons fans don’t even realize he has seen the field this season, which is really awful for a guy nearly every fan was excited to have.

No one is saying he is a bust and a coaching change your rookie year is not something easy to go through when you are already trying to navigate unchartered waters but 2021 will be big for Marlon Davidson, a lot like 2016 was a big year for Grady Jarrett.

If Davidson is going to be any good for the Falcons club, he will have to show a lot more in 2021 than he did in 2020.