Clemson Tigers cornerback Avieon Terrell is similar to one former NFL star.
Clemson Tigers cornerback Avieon Terrell was selected by the Atlanta Falcons with the 48th overall pick of the NFL Draft on Friday night, reuniting with his older brother, fellow cornerback A.J. Terrell.
Avieon was viewed by some as a top-three corner in this class heading into the draft, and not long ago, many had him pegged as a mid-to-late first-round pick.
Terrell's stock slid a bit before the draft, but he still came off the board in the middle of the second round, a very respectable draft position.
The 21-year-old lands with a Falcons squad that could absolutely use some help in the secondary, so he is absolutely a great fit in Atlanta.
But to whom is Terrell similar when it comes to NFL cornerbacks?
Well, one player that immediately comes to mind for me is former Tennessee Titans star Cortland Finnegan.
Finnegan spent a decade in the league between 2006 and 2015. Most his playing time came with the Titans (six years), but he also spent time with the St. Louis Rams, Miami Dolphins and Carolina Panthers.
Cortland Finnegan. Credit: George Walker IV / The Tennessean, Nashville Tennessean via Imagn Content Services, LLC.During his peak years in Tennessee, Finnegan was one of the NFL's better cornerbacks, earning himself a Pro Bowl appearance and a First-Team All-Pro selection in 2008.
So how is Terrell like Finnegan? Because of his tenacity.
Terrell isn't the biggest defensive back in the world at 5-foot-11, 186 pounds, but he compensates for it with his toughness and ferocity, much like the 5-foot-10, 190-pound Finnegan once did.
In fact, there were some who wondered if Terrell would actually be able to play outside on the NFL level due to his lack of size, but I don't think he'll have any problems.
Much like Finnegan, Terrell is a very hard hitter and forced eight fumbles over his final two seasons at Clemson, including five in 2025. That's a lot for a linebacker; let alone a cornerback.
Terrell is also very physical at the point of attack and has quick-twitch athleticism to keep pace with some of the more athletic receivers he will face.
What I will say is that I actually think Terrell has a chance to be even better than Finnegan in terms of longevity. He is that talented, and his competitive nature should help him adjust to the pros fairly easily.
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