2020 NFL Re-Draft: Falcons Land Bengals WR Tee Higgins; Where's A.J. Terrell?

The Atlanta Falcons selected Cincinnati Bengals receiver Tee Higgins in a 2020 NFL re-draft ... but why didn't they repeat history with cornerback A.J. Terrell?

The 2020 NFL Draft can be described in many ways, from bizarre to unique and everything in between as it took place in the middle of the pandemic.

Commissioner Roger Goodell announced the picks from his basement while general managers built big boards in their houses and New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick's dog stole the show.

Oh, the memories - and to think, it's already been three years, which is the length teams typically give draft picks before making a final decision on their abilities.

As such, with evaluations determined, the 2020 class has grown clearer - as have re-drafts, with Bleacher Report releasing its latest look back at the first round.

The actual draft, which proved to be general manager Thomas Dimitroff and coach Dan Quinn's last with the Atlanta Falcons, saw the Dirty Birds land All-Pro cornerback A.J. Terrell at No. 16 overall before adding defensive lineman Marlon Davidson, offensive lineman Matt Hennessy, linebacker Mykal Walker, safety Jaylinn Hawkins and punter Sterling Hofrichter.

But what's the re-draft look like?

In Bleacher Report's projections, the Falcons selected current Cincinnati Bengals receiver Tee Higgins at No. 16 overall, some 17 spots higher than where he went in 2020 ...

"Doing so means that the Falcons use four straight first-round picks on offensive skill players—Higgins, Kyle Pitts, Drake London and running back Bijan Robinson," Bleacher Report writes. "That may seem excessive, but it would be part of a support plan for 2022 third-round pick and Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder.

"Higgins is arguably the best No. 2 receiver in the NFL, and in this redraft, the Falcons ensure that he does his work in Atlanta."

So, why not Terrell? It's the best possible scenario - he's outplayed his draft slot, landing here with the San Francisco 49ers at No. 13 overall.

Higgins, who's recorded 215 receptions for 3,028 yards and 19 touchdowns across three seasons, would be a strong fit under Falcons coach Arthur Smith, though of course he would've been joining a different coaching staff for his rookie season.

Nonetheless, while the idea of Higgins is fun, so is having Terrell - and the Falcons, looking back, certainly found strong value even under the difficult circumstances that 2020's draft cycle provided.

You can follow Daniel Flick on Twitter @DFlickDraft

Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Falcons? Click Here.

Follow Falcon Report on Twitter.

Want even more Atlanta Falcons news? Check out the Si.com team page here