If you asked 100 people about the Atlanta Falcons' 2026 draft class, most of them would say they think the selection of Avieon Terrell at pick 48 was their best pick of the draft. But clearly not everyone feels that way, which is why the disrespect for Atlanta's 2026 class has been consistent.
And believe it or not, there are people who see the Terrell family reunion as one of the worst moves the Falcons made. And that includes NFL Draft guru and FanSided's own Mike Luciano. While Luciano was giving out draft grades for the 2026 Draft, he gave the Falcons a C+ and labeled Terrell as their worst pick.
The worst pick (for the Falcons), I'm going to have to say Avieon Terrell," Luciano said. "I know it's a nice story playing with his brother A.J. but he tested very poorly. I mean in the 4.6's for a cornerback and he's already not huge, so speed's going to be a really big aspect of his game. I think the Terrell bros will play fine alongside one another, but there are other cornerbacks on the board I had ranked higher than Terrell and could've been another fit here."
Avieon Terrell's 40 time is not the concern Falcons fans believe it is
I get Luciano's concern, especially with Jermod McCoy and Brandon Cisse still available, but it's hard to debate the 21-year-old was a bad pick here. Just a few months prior, he was looked at as a first-round lock, so for a team with no first-round pick to draft him in the middle of Round 2 is good value.
And on that topic, his assessment comes with a hole in it: it's common knowledge at this point that Terrell was testing while injured. He tweaked his hamstring during Clemson's Pro Day, and if he was running at full strength, it's safe to assume that his 40 time would've fallen between 4.45 and 4.5, which would've kept him on the Round 1 radar and confirmed a reunion with A.J was not happening.
That time isn't phenomenal, but it's no secret that the Younger Terrell plays faster than the time we have seen from him. But this paradox is the same thing that helped the Dirty Birds land a steal in Xavier Watts last draft. Top-line speed or elite testing numbers don't always translate to NFL success
He's right that a CB who measured in at under 5-foot-11 in Indianapolis will have to rely upon speed, but that's never been his game. What makes Terrell so similar to his brother is the physicality, nose for the football, and competitiveness that shows up more on film than a workout in a T-Shirt and shorts.
Frankly, we as an NFL fandom take too much stock into performance at the combine or Pro Day. Yes, testing numbers are important, but raw tape is just as important. And bad 40 time or not, he has the production and versatility Jeff Ulbrich covets. So while I respect the evaluation of my colleague, I think I speak for all Falcons fans when I say I disagree with him.
Add us as a preferred source on Google