NFL Draft 2020: Falcons shock everyone with AJ Terrell pick

The Atlanta Falcons had big hopes in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft, and they end up taking AJ Terrell out of Clemson.

Clemson will hear plenty of names called in the 2020 NFL Draft, but one name that was called earlier than expected was AJ Terrell at pick No. 16 to the Atlanta Falcons.

Atlanta was rumored to be trying to land C.J. Henderson in a trade into the top 10, but that did not end up happening. With that trade unavailable, the Falcons had few options. They could either settle for their CB3 or draft K’Lavon Chaisson out of LSU. Chaisson is the better player, but they desperately need another corner. They drafted one in 2018, but the hope is that Terrell can somehow slow down some of the great NFC South receivers.

They have the duo of receivers in Tampa Bay, Michael Thomas in NOLA, and a new young offense in Carolina, the secondary had to be a position of need.

Mullen can be physical, but I just believe that he could have been drafted later in the first round or even the second round. I like the scheme fit, but there is more to this pick than that. The fact that they took him tells me that no one wanted to trade up for any reason.

I will say that many people simply remember Terrell’s last half of college football against LSU in the national championship, and that was his only true bad half of his final college football season.

I understand drafting a need, but Falcons fans will be bummed that they didn’t end up with Chaisson. Terrell is simply going to make mistakes. There is something to be said about making sure you get your guy, but this just isn’t a great pick for me. It shocked people for a reason.

Grade: C+

I like Terrell, but I just can’t give this grade a B.