Skip to main content

“With the 16th pick, in the 2020 NFL Draft, the Atlanta Falcons select ... Terrell Lewis, edge rusher, Alabama.”

Or, at least, that is CBS Sports’ latest prediction on what NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell will say about Atlanta on April 23.

In a first-round mock draft published Monday, Ryan Wilson projects Terrell Lewis as the Falcons’ first 2020 pick. This comes one week after the team announced it will not negotiate a new contract with defensive end Vic Beasley.

Lewis, 21, just completed his red-shirt junior season at the University of Alabama. In 10 games last season, he finished second on the team in sacks (6.0) and tackles for loss (11.5) while racking up 31 total tackles. He sat out the Citrus Bowl, choosing instead to declare for and focus on the NFL Draft.

He looks the part, standing at 6-foot-5 and weighing just less than 260 pounds. And for a man of that size, he moves well. He possesses good burst off the line of scrimmage, similar to Beasley, the man he would be replacing in Atlanta.

Lewis has two knocks on him at this point, however.

No. 1, his technique is still raw, so he sometimes relies too heavily on his physical gifts.

And No. 2, Lewis has struggled with injuries during his college career. He missed 10 games as a sophomore due to a torn ligament in his elbow. Months later, he tore his ACL, exchanging what would have been his junior season for a medical redishirt.

His stock is on the rise after a strong Senior Bowl. With a combine invite in tow and two months until the draft, Lewis’s standing could continue to change.