Is Falcons CB A.J. Terrell 'Elite'? - PFF

The third-year pro is one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL.

Jeremy Brener | Jun 7, 2022

Atlanta Falcons cornerback A.J. Terrell has made quite the impression in his first two seasons in the NFL.

The 16th overall pick from the 2020 NFL Draft has made the Falcons look very smart by picking him and he's turned into arguably the best player on the team.

But is Terrell considered to be "elite" when looked compared to the rest of the league?

Pro Football Focus seems to think that answer is yes.

Terrell was one of the biggest breakouts of the 2021 season — and the lone bright spot on Atlanta's weak defense. The 2020 first-round pick allowed an NFL-leading 0.37 yards per coverage snap — a mark that was just one-hundredth of a yard off from the single-season PFF record owned by Asante Samuel (2010) and Nnamdi Asomugha (2008). He’s proving to be a scheme-versatile player with elite movement skills, speed and discipline. The former Clemson Tiger has developed into a reliable island corner, too, shutting down Mike Evans, Antonio Brown and D.J. Moore last year.

Terrell ranked as the third-best cornerback in the league behind Los Angeles Rams veteran Jalen Ramsey and Green Bay Packers star Jaire Alexander.

Terrell adds another dimension to the Falcons defense that allows them to blanket the opposing team's top receiver. The former Clemson Tiger is going to play that role once again in 2022, and he'll face the likes of Cooper Kupp, DK Metcalf and Mike Evans among others.

Given the fact that Terrell is just entering his third season in the NFL and is already among the elite cornerbacks in the game, imagining what he'll be able to do years down the line should give Falcons fans a lot of reason for optimism.

Published Jun 7, 2022

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.