Falcons draft Clemson corner Avieon Terrell, A.J.’s brother, in second round
FLOWERY BRANCH — After 47 picks spent sitting and watching, the Falcons made their first selection of the 2026 NFL Draft on Friday night, adding Clemson cornerback Avieon Terrell in the second round.
The younger brother of Falcons cornerback A.J. Terrell, Avieon is the first draftee in Falcons general manager Ian Cunningham’s career. Terrell, a second-team Associated Press All-American at Clemson in 2025, is an Atlanta native who attended Westlake High School.
The 5-foot-11, 180-pound Terrell started 31 games in three seasons at Clemson, including all 26 games played over the past two years. He finished his career with 125 tackles, 25 pass breakups and three interceptions to go along with nine tackles for loss and eight forced fumbles.
A consensus four-star recruit in the class of 2023, Terrell played in 13 games with five starts as a true freshman. He stepped into a full-time starting role in 2024, earning second-team All-ACC recognition after collecting 58 tackles, 14 pass breakups and two interceptions.
Terrell became Clemson’s first AP All-American corner in nine years after making 48 tackles, breaking up nine passes and forcing five fumbles in 2025. He also generated first-team All-ACC honors from the league’s coaches and media.
The Falcons entered the draft with 10 cornerbacks on their roster, headlined by A.J. Terrell, Mike Hughes, Billy Bowman Jr., Clark Phillips, Cobee Bryant and Darnay Holmes. Avieon Terrell gives the team more talent, depth and competitiveness with the versatility to play both nickel and outside cornerback.
A.J. Terrell is six years older than Avieon, who followed his brother’s footsteps through Westlake High School and Clemson. Now, for the first time, they’ll unite as teammates on the back end of the Falcons’ defense.
