Clemson Football: Is A.J. Terrell worthy of first-round NFL draft selection?

Is Clemson football cornerback AJ Terrell worthy of a first-round selection in the 2020 NFL Draft or will he be a steal on Day 2?

The 2020 NFL Draft is quickly approaching and as last-minute trades have occurred across the league, some teams’ needs have changed and so have their prospective draft picks.

A.J. Terrell, a talented cornerback from Clemson, had a solid performance at the NFL combine and has been a core contributor to the Tigers’ defensive backfield. The question at the end of the week shouldn’t be if Terrell is drafted but rather will he go in the late-first or early-second rounds?

Terrell started his collegiate career with Clemson in 2017, playing in 10 games and posting 14 total tackles, one tackle for loss, one interception and seven pass deflections.

He showed great improvement in between his freshman and sophomore years and came back to record 53 total tackles. Terrell posted three interceptions and one defensive touchdown, three pass deflections and three forced fumbles.

As a junior, he posted 34 total tackles, two interceptions and three pass deflections  Terrell decided to go forego his senior year at Clemson and declare for the 2020 NFL Draft.

Strengths

Terrell’s strengths include his ability to grind on receivers and his backpedal is low and steady with sufficient foot agility.

Moreover, he displays patience in many aspects, including his foot agility, he’s able to read the quarterback’s eyes and allows the release to develop before he decides what to do with his hips.

The Clemson corner has played under pressure in several high-level matchups, including his only career touchdown in the national title game against Alabama. His three years of play under Dabo Swinney has given him the maturity and experience to become a starter in his next level of play.

Weaknesses

Terrell is all legs at 6-foot-1 and at 195 pounds, the lower half of his body is on the thinner side with a high center of gravity. His recovery speed isn’t above average, he has a tendency to lose focus which allows the receivers to get behind him.

He has trouble gathering and remaining in phase with comebacks, he needs to improve handling jump balls and he needs to fill and support the run with more consistency. The greatest improvement Terrell needs is to improve his ball-hawking skills, and that would improve his odds of getting a starting spot.

Draft Projection

Terrell scored a prospect grade of 6.36 at the NFL combine, according to NFL.com, and recorded 4.42 for his 40-yard dash, 15 bench press reps and a 34.5-inch vertical jump. He has the potential to start within the first few seasons wherever he may call home next, but I’m not sure he’ll go in the first round. The need for cornerbacks is high, but there are other positions that need to be filled with more urgency. I didn’t have him drafted in the first round of my mock draft and I’m sticking to that.

Projection: Late first, early second round