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