Falcons' A.J. Terrell, Jeff Okudah Underrated as CB Duo?
Atlanta Falcons’ new cornerback duo A.J. Terrell and offseason acquisition Jeff Okudah aren’t well respected heading into training camp, but after both failing to mee the expectations set for themselves last season, do they deserve to be?
According to Bleacher Report, the Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Cincinnati Bengals all feature more talented duos entering next season. The first four teams all feature players with more individual accolades than Atlanta. However, there’s a case to be made that the Falcons belong over Tampa Bay or Cincinnati.
The Buccaneers (Jamel Dean and Carlton Davis III) and Bengals (Mike Hilton and Chidobe Awuzie) lack any Pro Bowl or All-Pro appearances out of their cornerback tandems. On the other hand, Atlanta has a 2021 All-Pro in Terrell and a former top-three pick in Okudah.
Entering next season, the Falcons lack proof that their duo can perform together, but that doesn’t mean they’re less talented than the duos listed above them. Okudah and Terrell are both over six feet tall, and though Okudah struggled to stay healthy in Detroit last season, he was ninth in tackles amongst corners.
If Okudah can play the entire season in Atlanta next season, there’s no reason to think he can’t make good on the promise he showed as a prospect coming out of Ohio State when he was compared to Patrick Peterson by NFL analyst Lance Zierlein.
“Head coach and general manager’s dream prospect with blue-chip physical traits, mental makeup and personal character. He has size, length and foot quickness to road-block press release and elite closing burst to close catch windows or eliminate yards after catch,” Zierlein said at the time. “He has a rigid adherence to technique, but squeezing coverage even tighter and trusting his traits, talent and recovery speed could make him one of the top shutdown corners in the game.”
As for Terrell, last season was a down year for the star defender, but if he gets back to his 2021 form, there’s no doubt that he’s better than any cornerback on their division rival Buccaneers or Bengals, who feature a 5-9 Hilton and Awuzie who’s struggled with staying healthy (played in an average of eleven games the past two seasons).
Despite not entering this season as the most respected cornerbacks in the NFL, the Falcons duo has the potential to cement themselves as an elite young duo for years to come, assuming they can get back to playing like their old selves. One thing is sure, though, they’re not short on talent.
You can follow Isaiah DeAnda Delgado on Twitter and Instagram @IsaiahDDelgado.
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.
