NFL Draft: Re-Grading A.J. Terrell & Falcons' 2020 Class

From cornerback A.J. Terrell to punter Sterling Hofrichter, recapping and grading every pick from the Atlanta Falcons' 2020 NFL Draft, now three years removed.

The rule of thumb around the NFL is to give draft classes three years before officially reaching conclusions on the players each team selected, a method that gives time for the individuals to progress rather than rushing to inaccurate ends.

And while this isn't necessarily the case in the hot take-driven atmosphere of 2023, the point remains that league circles have a strong understanding of their draft class from three years ago - the 2020 crop.

For the Atlanta Falcons, the 2020 NFL Draft marched the last of general manager Thomas Dimitroff and coach Dan Quinn's tenure, as the duo was fired after an 0-5 start to the season.

But how about the class itself?

Here's a look at how each of Atlanta's 2020 draftees have performed over the last three years and where they stand ahead of this offseason ...

A.J. Terrell

Round: 1

Overall Pick: No. 16

Despite being viewed in league circles as the draft's No. 3 cornerback behind a pair of top-10 picks, many on the outside questioned Atlanta's decision to select Terrell so high.

However, as the story played out, multiple reports indicated the Las Vegas Raiders were set to take Terrell just a few picks later, and Terrell has proved to be a value at No. 16.

Terrell has been the Falcons' best corner for each of his three seasons, headlined by earning second-team All-Pro honors in 2021 while being a shining light on an otherwise dark defense.

Even though he wasn't drafted by Atlanta's new regime of general manager Terry Fontenot and coach Arthur Smith, he's still viewed by the duo as a foundational building block and should be a key cog of the Falcons defense for the next several years.

Grade: A+

Marlon Davidson

Round: 2

Overall Pick: No. 47

Selecting Davidson was done with one thing primarily in mind - get defensive tackle Grady Jarrett help on the interior. However, things never really clicked for the former Auburn Tiger, and he was cut by the Falcons during this past season.

Part of the issue for Davidson was that he struggled staying on the field; he played in just eight games in 2020 and 11 more in 2021, ending his Falcons career with 14 missed contests. He totaled one sack, one tackle for loss and one quarterback.

The final straw for Atlanta's decision makers was Davidson's knee injury during training camp. Initially expected to return by the end of the preseason, his absence was elongated, and he was waived before getting back on the field.

It should be noted that Davidson did have his fair share of flashes, including a pick-six on Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady in 2021. However, those flashes proved to be few and far between and he remains a free agent to this day.

Grade: D-

Matt Hennessy

Round: 3

Overall Pick: No. 78

Drafted as an understudy of then-center Alex Mack, Hennessy's rookie season was largely spent working in the shadows while seeing some playing time on special teams and receiving an occasional offensive snap.

The former Temple Owl ascended into the starting center position in 2021 after Mack and the Falcons parted ways, but his season was largely up and down, and Smith made it clear that he'd have to battle for his job during the following offseason.

Hennessy lost that competition to Drew Dalman and started the season on the bench, ultimately starting three games at left guard as a result of injuries to incumbent Elijah Wilkinson. Hennessy showed well for himself in that stretch and might have a chance to contend for the starting spot this offseason.

Ultimately, Hennessy is now three years into his Falcons tenure and still doesn't seem to have a defined role - which isn't ideal for a former third-round pick. However, he's a serviceable player with the ability to play multiple spots on the interior offensive line, and that's a valuable role in the modern-day NFL.

Grade: C+

Mykal Walker

Round: 4

Overall Pick: No. 119

Walker arrived in Atlanta as an off-ball linebacker who'd spent much of his senior season at Fresno State rushing off the edge, though he had played inside linebacker earlier in his career.

The 6-3, 230-pound Walker spent much of his first two years with the Falcons buried on the depth chart behind Deion Jones and Foye Oluokun, but with both out of the picture in 2022, he ascended into the starting role - until being effectively replaced by rookie Troy Andersen after the bye week.

Walker's played in 49 games with 20 starts during his Falcons tenure and logged 107 tackles, six passes defended, four tackles for loss and two interceptions alone this past season, but evidently didn't do enough to put a strangle hold on the starting spot.

It's possible Walker thrives under new defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen, but with the frequency of two-linebacker packages and the Falcons viewing Andersen as the future while seeking to retain incumbent Rashaan Evans, there's not a high likelihood Walker enters the year as a starter.

Nonetheless, considering he was a Day 3 pick, Walker's had a solid three-year career and is a good depth piece in the middle of Atlanta's defense, making him an all-around adequate selection.

Grade: B-

Jaylinn Hawkins

Round: 4

Overall Pick: No. 134

Hawkins has followed a similar career path to Walker, beginning as a reserve and special teams player but taking over a starting role alongside Richie Grant at safety this past season.

Across 16 games, Hawkins totaled 84 tackles, six passes defended and two interceptions but allowed four touchdowns as the nearest defender in coverage.

As is the case with Walker, Hawkins doesn't seem to be in a great position to start in 2023, but he's a serviceable third safety who's heady and can make plays on the ball, which has value on the back end.

Thus, although Hawkins likely won't be a long-term starter in the Falcons secondary, he's provided a fair return on investment.

Grade: B

Sterling Hofrichter

Round: 7

Overall Pick: No. 228

Dimitroff's final pick as Atlanta's general manager was Hofrichter, a punter out of Syracuse. Initially met with criticism, Hofrichter was given the right to punt for all 16 games in his rookie season but averaged only 42.5 yards per punt, among the lowest marks in the league.

Hofrichter was let go by Smith and staff during the 2021 offseason and later caught on with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for a pair of games. He played for the Miami Dolphins during the 2022 preseason but didn't make the team and is now with the XFL's St. Louis Battlehawks.

Punters are drafted nearly every year, and considering round and overall pick, there's not much wrong with positional value - it's just that Hofrichter didn't perform at the level needed to hang around in the NFL, although few seventh-rounders do.

Grade: D

To recap, the Falcons drafted one sure-fire star and building block in Terrell, three fringe starters or quality backups in Hennessy, Walker and Hawkins and two players who are currently out of the league in Davidson and Hofrichter.

It certainly wasn't Dimitroff's finest hour, but Terrell is poised to play a significant role in the Falcons future, and that was certainly a well-appreciated gift for Smith and Fontenot, though the collective draft left more work to do to round out the roster.

Final Draft Grade: C+

---

You can follow Daniel Flick on Twitter @DFlickDraft

Get your HOTlanta Falcons game tickets from SI Tickets ... here!

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