From Near Misses to Hidden Traits: 6 Interesting Facts About the Falcons’ 2026 Rookie Class

The Atlanta Falcons selected six new players to join their organization during the NFL Draft, and each has a unique path that led them to this moment.

As rookie minicamp approaches this weekend, Falcons OnSI took a look at all six draftees and highlighted one unique story, stat, or attribute that made them stand out.

Round 2 (No. 48): Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson

Clemson Tigers cornerback Avieon Terrell has a hidden super power | Alex Martin/Greenville News / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Avieon Terrell followed in the footsteps of his older brother, A.J. The defensive backs both started their careers at Westlake, played for Dabo Swinney at Clemson, and were drafted by the Falcons with the Falcons’ first selection in the NFL Draft. It’s truly a one-of-a-kind story, but one that has been told several times.

The off-the-field storylines will be bountiful, but on the field, the football player has one unique aspect to his game: he broke the Clemson record for forced fumbles by a defensive back.

“On the field, it’s just me against him,” Terrell said. “And I’m very good at punching that ball. I feel like that’s the best part of my game, just being able to do that.”

He punched the ball out eight times over three seasons as a Tiger, with five of those coming last season alone. It’s the most in the country in that span.

Round 3 (No. 79): Zachariah Branch, WR, Georgia

Georgia Bulldogs wide receiver Zachariah Branch is a lot stronger than he looks | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

A lot has been said about Zachariah Branch’s diminutive stature, but his strength is a hidden trait that will help him acclimate quickly to the NFL. His father, Sheva Branch, is a strength and conditioning coach who has worked with world-class athletes like Serena Williams. Growing up in that environment has done wonders for Branch.

For years, the emphasis for Branch has been on weight training, getting proper sleep, and taking care of his body – he retains an oxygen therapist who helps him with his recovery and conditioning. Branch has been training like a professional athlete since middle school, and it has started bearing fruit.

Despite standing at just 5-foot-9 and 177 pounds, the wideout regularly worked out with offensive linemen at Georgia. As a high school student at Bishop Gorman, he power-cleaned 300 pounds and squatted 515 pounds.

“I’d say, pound for pound, I was the strongest guy on the team [at Georgia],” he said. “I’d tell ‘em [the offensive linemen], ‘Yeah, get your weight up.’”

His strength comes from years of body weight training, and he does 100 push-ups and sit-ups every day.

At the NFL Combine, Branch threw up 20 reps of 225 pounds on the bench press, which was among the best for wide receivers – he was actually hoping to get to 25, but he had some food poisoning, which caused him to throw up before going down on the bench.

Branch is small, but man, is he powerful.

Round 4 (No. 134): Kendal Daniels, LB, Oklahoma

Oklahoma Sooners linebacker Kendal Daniels | Jeff Blake-Imagn Images

Kendal Daniels realized his potential with the Sooners, but their connection almost didn't materialize. After spending four years with their bitter rivals, Oklahoma State, the linebacker admitted to hating his Bedlam foes.

When Daniels entered the transfer portal in 2024, he had put on 22 pounds and had a successful position change. He finished with 64 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, and 5.5 sacks while starting nine of 12 games in his first season at linebacker after transitioning from safety.

He had become quite the prospect, and Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables was one of the first to make a call – one Daniels had no interest in answering. He wanted to go anywhere other than to his arch-rival.

However, a relationship Venables had established with Daniels’ mother while he was recruiting him to play at Clemson came into play. She insisted he take the call, he fell in love, and the rest is history.

“A year and a half ago, if you told me I was going to be at Oklahoma, getting drafted from Oklahoma, I would have told you, ‘Get out of my face,’” Daniels said with a smile after being drafted. “I would have told you, ‘It was bad blood between us two.’ And that’s why I know God is real. I’m so thankful for the Lord, and he brought me to this position.”

The transfer helped Daniels showcase his elite versatility – he played in the slot, in the box, along the edge, and as a safety. That flexibility made him an ideal fit for Jeff Ulbrich in Atlanta, and it almost didn't happen.

Round 6 (No. 208): Anterio Thompson, DT, Washington

Former Western Michigan Broncos defensive lineman Anterio Thompson | Adam Cairns-Imagn Images

Defensive lineman Anterio Thompson has experienced a unique path to the NFL. Six years ago, he didn’t even know if he wanted to play the sport. It was a secondary sport for him, and he truly believed his future was on the hardwood playing basketball. He would regularly skip practices to find a court to play.

But overall, he wasn’t happy. He wanted to quit to football, but then came COVID-19,

Off the field/court, Thompson was experiencing some family hardships, and his grades were slipping. It felt like he kept getting kicked around by life itself, and now he was stuck at home. The high schooler needed an outlet, and the sport he almost gave up on became just what he needed.

“Football is the only sport where it’s violent, and you don’t go to jail for it,” he told the Atlanta media after being drafted. “So I kind of started practicing and playing with a little bit more anger.”

He could finally punch back, but not before life caught him with another right hook: his grades.

Thompson didn’t qualify for Division I football and would need to go the community college route for two seasons before getting his shot. He viewed it as a second chance, and enrolled at Iowa Western Community College, put on 40 pounds, put together an All-American season in 2022, and blossomed into the player the Falcons saw throughout the process. The sport he almost quit on turned out to be his biggest blessing.

Round 6 (No. 215): Harold Perkins Jr., LB, LSU

LSU Tigers linebacker Harold Perkins Jr. | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Harold Perkins was born on the bayou in Louisiana, in the heart of Saints country. He played four years for the LSU Tigers, just up the road in Baton Rouge, where he finished with 220 tackles, 17 sacks, 35.5 tackles for loss, 8 forced fumbles, and 5 interceptions.

It was the elephant in the room when the Falcons took him in the sixth round. The native son of Louisiana found himself on the other end of one of the NFL’s most heated rivalries.

“Yeah, I grew up a Saints fan,” Perkins told the media with a grin. “Guess what, though? I ain’t a Saints fan no more!”

Round 7 (No. 231): Ethan Onianwa, OT, Ohio State

Ohio State Buckeyes offensive lineman Ethan Onianwa | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Ethan Onianwa did not start a game for the Buckeyes last season, but he was a three-year starter for Rice before that. He is raw talent, and the Falcons love his versatility on the line of scrimmage (played left and right tackle for the Owls before kicking inside to play guard at Ohio State), but also his intelligence.

The offensive lineman committed to Rice over Vanderbilt and several Ivy League schools. The Owls have one of the country’s top engineering programs, and Onianwa studied bioengineering. He still has four classes left before he graduates, but he plans to go back and finish his degree.

After his football days are over, he plans to go into medicine, aiming to become a PA or work in medtech, either in research and development or in medical sales.

Sign up for our free Atlanta Falcons newsletter and follow us on Facebook and X for the latest news!

Add us as a preferred source on Google