When the Atlanta Falcons selected Clemson cornerback Avieon Terrell with the 48th pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, the rationale behind the pick felt clear. A versatile cornerback with family ties to the organization was always going to be the logical pick, especially since cornerback was a major need.
Most people are on board with the Terrell pick (and ensuing family reunion), with many deeming it one of the best value picks of the 2026 Draft. However, I said most, not all. When FanSided's own Mike Luciano graded the Falcons' draft class, he saw the 21-year-old as the catalyst behind his C+ grade.
And the reason for that decision? He thought there were better cornerbacks (or even better fits) the Falcons could have attacked with the 48th pick at cornerback. Jermod McCoy was still available. Brandon Cisse was still available. They could have landed an impact corner had they waited for one.
But when he was still available, they refused to trade off the pick for that reason. You can't need any more justification than that. Most teams had a first-round grade on him before the injury.
Even with some red flags, the Falcons couldn't have drafted a better CB than Avieon Terrell at Pick 48
Let's look at the guys they passed on him for: McCoy was a top-10 talent if healthy who only fell as far as he did because of medical issues surrounding his knee and a debate on whether or not he should have another surgery. And the red flags were so alarming that he fell all the way to Day 3 of the draft.
The 20-year-old was selected with the 101st pick in the draft by the Las Vegas Raiders. He fell all the way to the fourth round despite taking the field (and impressing) during Tennessee's Pro Day. So even though he didn't play in 2025 and is unlikely to play in 2026, McCoy's 2024 tape was that impressive.
Given the medicals, it's not hard to see why the Dirty Birds drafted Terrell over the objectively better talent in McCoy. Availability is the best ability, and they trust the former to stay on the field more. But in the event that he's able to stay healthy with the Raiders, Ian Cunningham can easily regret this.
The other name to consider is South Carolina's Brandon Cisse, who was drafted four picks later by the Green Bay Packers with the 52nd pick. And frankly, he isn't all that different from Terrell. He has a similar frame, is less versatile, and only tested better because he didn't run with a tweaked hamstring.
Luciano's rationale was that the All-ACC cornerback tested poorly for a player with a smaller frame, but we all know why that is. There's essentially no difference in Terrell and Cisse's frame, so if you are hating on the Falcons for drafting one, it would be hypocritical to criticize them for drafting the other, especially when Jeff Ulbrich's plans for him are more concrete than Green Bay's for Cisse.
The Falcons likely didn't seriously consider guys like Daylen Everette and Tacario Davis at 48, but perhaps they would've at 79 if they went another direction in Round 2. Given the circumstances, Atlanta absolutely smashed this pick, as we know the uber-competitive Terrell will be the perfect fit next to his brother as a long-term starter in the secondary.
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