With AJ Terrell, Atlanta Falcons clearly selected 2020’s best cornerback

Back in the 2020 NFL Draft, a class that was very strong with cornerbacks, the Atlanta Falcons decided to select a young junior out of Clemson, AJ Terrell. When this pick was announced, the amount of confusion was ripe, with the most extreme takes saying Terrell was a “future NFL bust” because of his being completely dominated by LSU in the College Football Playoff National Championship.

That said, here’s something everyone truly forgot in the aftermath: what cornerback wasn’t burned by that offense? Joe Burrow, Justin Jefferson, Ja’Marr Chase, and Clyde Edwards-Helaire formed arguably the largest juggernaut of talent in recent collegiate offense memory.

Of course, nobody cares about the body of work or that Terrell scored the first points of the previous CFP Championship on a pick-six; they just cared that he was burned, so he was toast at the next level. This was also evident in the national scouts, who naturally had Jeff Okudah and CJ Henderson as the top two corners entering the draft process but couldn’t make a consensus afterward.

However, it’s clear about one thing: the scouts were wrong, and much like all media pundits, they won’t admit it.

Three years into his career, it’s clear that the Atlanta Falcons selected the best cornerback in this class.

Let’s take a look at said corners drafted in the first two rounds of the 2020 Draft and their stats to date:

• Jeff Okudah (3rd overall, DET: 10 games, 7 starts, 124 tackles, 1 INT)
• CJ Henderson (9th overall, JAX: 10 games, traded to CAR)
• Damon Arnette (19th overall, LV: 13 games, 7 starts, out of the league)
• Jeff Gladney (31st overall, MIN: 16 games, 75 tackles, sadly with God)
• Jaylon Johnson (50th overall, CHI: 39 games, 39 starts, 125 tackles, 1 INT)
• Trevon Diggs (51st overall, DAL: 45 games, 44 starts, 169 tackles, 17 INTs)
• Kristian Fulton (61st overall, TEN: 30 games, 26 starts, 104 tackles, 4 INTs)

Meanwhile, here’s Terrell’s line: 44 games, 44 starts, 202 tackles, 4 INTs, 2021 Second Team All-Pro (probably should’ve been first team, but that’s another debate)

At first glance, most would say Diggs is the best because he’s got the most interceptions of all the listed players. While there’s some merit to that claim, Diggs was a converted player in college who’s routinely bit on double moves. Plus, 11 of his interceptions came in one season, and even then he could be baited.

Meanwhile, Okudah’s unfortunately been out of action with a ruptured Achilles tendon suffered in the first week of the 2021 season. In most instances, the Achilles tendon is what the ACL was many years ago: a career killer. While there’s a chance for Okudah to come back, he’ll never be the same, and with one false step, he’s gone again.

As for Henderson, boy what a fall from grace for him. Heading to Jacksonville right after Jalen Ramsey was shipped off, he was supposed to be a transition from one great Florida collegiate corner staying with a home-state team to the next. That couldn’t be further from the truth, as Henderson routinely played lackadaisically while with the Jaguars, leading the organization to trade him for a tight end to the Carolina Panthers. Also, does anyone remember that crazy finish in the Falcons-Panthers game that Atlanta should’ve lost? Damiere Byrd’s corner he had to beat was Henderson, who was jogging in pursuit.

It’s pretty obvious that college players can struggle once they’re a professional. That’s been a staple of the league and why the average career spans three years. However, when the secondary has two “top-tier” players essentially be in the bust category, the previous Falcons regime left the team with one big win in Terrell.