The cornerback position is weirdly paradoxical in the NFL. You can say that you want a Sauce Gardner, a flashy player whose name is always appearing in the headlines, but that's not the truth. For an elite cornerback, the less you hear their name on a given Sunday, the more impactful they truly are.
Atlanta Falcons cornerback A.J. Terrell is one of the most respected cornerbacks in the NFL, but you wouldn't know it for that sole reason. He's lockdown in that you never really hear what he's up to, but it's the same reason those in league circles refuse to acknowledge him among the league's best.
For six seasons now, Terrell has been one of the most important defenders on the Falcons. Few cornerbacks are truly able to neutralize an opposing team's WR1 in the way that he's able to, and unless you're a Clemson fan or live in the greater Atlanta area, odds are that you're unaware also.
A.J. Terrell's biggest "flaw" is also considered his biggest strength
And in a weird way, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler just confirmed that. Every year, Fowler surveys NFL executives, coaches, and scouts to determine the 10 best players at 11 different positions, but when the cornerbacks took the spotlight, Terrell got an honorable mention, but he spoke to a defensive coach who rehashed this very issue.
"He's been really good for a long time," a veteran defensive coach said. "He just can't get the ball [with six interceptions in six NFL seasons]."
So let me make this clear: we're criticizing a CB for not getting targeted more? That goes against the very purpose of the position. The 28-year-old's target rate hovered around 12% last year, and was at 10.8% in 2024, so he's playing the position right and forcing quarterbacks to throw anywhere else.
A.J. Terrell was also near the top of the NFL in yards per coverage snap in 2025 and remains one of the league's best press-coverage players, which is why these opposing receivers are taken out of the game so easily. But because he isn't flashy or making interceptions, his talent is getting overlooked.
The 2020 first-round pick didn't have his best season in 2025 numbers-wise, but the impact Terrell provides the Dirty Birds isn't something you'll find on the stat sheet. Cornerbacks don't get credit for not being targeted, so of course he isn't racking up many picks when QBs are scared to throw at him.
Take Trevon Diggs in 2021. He led the NFL with 11 interceptions, but was one of the most-targeted corners in the NFL, surrendering over 1,000 coverage yards. So you can discredit A.J. Terrell for not having eye-popping interception numbers, but the Falcons have their ball-hawks playing safety.
He's always been elite, and now that he'll be sharing the field with his younger brother, Terrell Island will be twofold in 2026.
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