‘Can’t make it up’: Falcons draft Avieon Terrell in Atlanta homecoming
FLOWERY BRANCH — For nearly 20 seconds, they hugged, spun and rocked from side-to-side. Cameras flashed, friends and family members yelled. But A.J. and Avieon Terrell were too busy to notice.
The Falcons turned the Terrell brothers dream — the one Avieon has talked about for several years, the one A.J. has played in his head many times over but never thought would happen — into reality Friday night, selecting Avieon at No. 48 overall in the second round of the 2026 NFL draft.
Falcons coach Kevin Stefanski reached out to A.J. Terrell, the team’s top cornerback, three picks before they were on the clock to give him an idea of their intentions. But he couldn’t spoil the moment.
“It was time for me to hold my water for a second,” Terrell told reporters over Zoom. “I was trying to hide my emotions and everything. I had to wait three picks before I could show some type of love to him.”
The smoke screen didn’t work. Avieon, a cornerback from Clemson, saw through it. He had a feeling once he saw the Falcons on the clock at No. 48 that his wait was coming to an end. Then, his phone buzzed and he saw the 404 area code appear on his screen.
“My heart dropped,” Avieon said. “I looked right at A.J. and told him, ‘It’s time.’”
A.J. hugged Avieon so aggressively, the latter’s newly fitted Falcons hat fell to the floor. For years, A.J. said he’s embraced the big brother role, coaching Avieon and watching him climb the same ladder from Westlake High School to Clemson and, ultimately, the NFL.
This big brother moment felt different, though. It felt like draft day all over again, said A.J., the Falcons’ first-round pick in 2020. It felt surreal. No longer just brothers, but teammates in their hometown organization.
“Being able to strap up with him, going to work every day, playing on Sundays right at the crib — can’t make it up, man,” A.J. said. “Just want to give all glory to God, man. We’re ready.”
A.J. Terrell, the Falcons’ Walter Payton Man of the Year recipient in 2025 and a former team captain, has started 93 games through six seasons. He was a second-team All-Pro selection in 2021 and narrowly missed a Pro Bowl bid in 2025. He’s the organization’s third longest-tenured player.
Avieon hopes to match his brother’s production — and he’s had a front-row seat to watch the blueprint unfold.
“I feel like me and bro move the same,” Avieon said. “We talk every day, so the way he moves off of the field, I think he moves great. I’ve been looking at him for my whole life, so I talk to bro every day. The way I move on the field is the same way he moves, with passion.”
The Falcons, however, don’t want Avieon to live in A.J.’s shadow.
“A.J.’s obviously a really good player, but Avieon’s his own man,” general manager Ian Cunningham said Friday night. “And to be able to just grade him for who he was, who he is, we’re excited to get him.”
Avieon Terrell has plenty of experience making his own name. A consensus 4-star recruit in the class of 2023, Terrell made an immediate impact at Clemson, starting five of his 13 appearances as a true freshman.
Terrell started 26 games over his final two years with the Tigers, twice earning All-ACC honors while being named a second-team All-American by The Associated Press in 2025. He finished his career with 125 tackles, 25 pass breakups, three interceptions and eight forced fumbles.
“I’m a dog,” Terrell said. “I’m a competitor. I’m coming in to be a leader. I’m a very vocal leader, somebody who’s very versatile. I can do anything in the secondary.”
The Falcons were surprised by the number of cornerbacks still available at No. 48 overall. Only three — LSU’s Mansoor Delane, San Diego State’s Chris Johnson and Tennessee’s Colton Hood — were off the board.
Cunningham expected Terrell to be taken earlier, too. On Friday morning, Falcons president of football Matt Ryan asked Cunningham about which players, if available, he’d be unwilling to trade down from. Terrell was Cunningham’s top choice.
“He’s tough, competitive, scrappy, plays the ball, plays the game the way that we want our guys to play,” Cunningham said. “We’re just excited to get a player of this caliber at the point of the draft where we got him.”
The Falcons had 10 cornerbacks on their roster entering the draft, including both starters from last year in A.J. Terrell and Mike Hughes. They also returned Billy Bowman Jr., Clark Phillips III and Cobee Bryant, among others, and brought in veteran Darnay Holmes.
Avieon Terrell proved alignment-versatile at Clemson. He played 464 snaps at outside cornerback and 110 snaps at nickel corner last season, according to Pro Football Focus. Terrell made plays behind the line of scrimmage, too, with four sacks and nine tackles for loss in his 39-game career.
The Falcons have options for where to play Terrell, and Stefanski said defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich and secondary coach Justin Hood have already talked through their vision. Collectively, Stefanski likes the depth and competition the Falcons have at corner.
“You can never have enough good corners,” Stefanski said. “We’re excited to add a good player to a room full of good players.”
It just so happens the best in that room is also the older brother of the newest addition. Stefanski described the pairing of two brothers as cool and unique, but he’s more captivated by Avieon’s potential to help A.J. elevate the Falcons’ secondary.
“We’re also excited about just Avieon’s role and growing into being the best version of himself,” Stefanski said. “He’s going to be somebody that we get our arms around, and we bring him along. I know this, knowing what I know about him, he’ll work and work and work, and that’s what we’re excited about.”
Avieon has been to Flowery Branch for practices, but he hasn’t spent much time in the facility. He’ll get his first full experience Saturday. But he’s no longer the younger brother merely stopping by to visit A.J. — he’s the first pick of the Falcons’ new regime, and he says he’s ready to get to work.
The most fundamental component of the Terrell brothers living their dream has been accomplished. Another big one — sharing a defensive backfield and taking snaps opposite each other — looms in the fall.
Avieon manifested his path to the Falcons. Now, he’s manifesting the day he steps on the field, turns his head, finds his brother and gives a reassuring nod before they join the ever-rare fraternity of brothers, and teammates, to play the same position in an NFL game.
But in that moment, his mind won’t be on hugs or dreams or brotherhood. His sole focus will be on the receiver across from him and being the same “dog” he always feels he’s been.
“It isn’t too much thinking when we’re on the island,” Avieon said. “It’s go time. It’s time to ball.”
