The Atlanta Falcons could not be having a better start to the 2026 NFL Draft. Their chances of landing Avieon Terrell seemed slim-to-none just a couple of months ago, yet against all odds, he dropped to pick 48, and the Falcons jumped at the chance to pair Terrell up with his older brother.
The main storyline surrounding the Terrell pick is the looming family reunion between him and A.J. Terrell, especially at the value they were able to make it happen. With no first-round pick, they still landed a potential first-round talent, but the selection should also spell trouble for Mike Hughes.
At the moment, Hughes is Atlanta's CB2 on the boundary opposite Older Terrell, but his spot on the outside is definitely in jeopardy. The new regime failed to find his long-term successor in free agency and seemed to be content with him starting, but now, it's clear Terrell will eventually win Hughes' job.
Avieon Terrell is putting Mike Hughes' time in Atlanta on a clock
The 29-year-old had a pretty rough campaign in 2025 that ended prematurely due to an ankle injury but even when he was healthy, he was the weak link in the secondary. But the Dirty Birds weren't ging to look to replace him until they found his long-term successor at the correct value, which Terrell is.
With elite physicality that mirrors that of his older brother, it's only a matter of time before Jeff Ulbrich gives the Terrell brothers a starting role opposite one another. He only fell down the draft board because of prospect fatigue, while his tweaked hamstring is a non-factor on his long-term outlook.
There's a chance that if/when Younger Terrell assumes the starting CB2 job in Atlanta, Hughes just steps in as the starting nickel corner, as he has the versatility to do so. But he would have to fend off both Sydney Brown and Billy Bowman Jr. to receive the lion's share of the snaps at slot cornerback.
Hughes will probably stick around as an option in the nickel or as injury insurance, but Terrell is ready to push him for a Day 1 starting role.
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