Avieon Terrell drafted by Atlanta Falcons, joines older brother AJ

There won’t be much of a transition for Avieon Terrell when he gets to Atlanta. He’s already got family there waiting.

The Atlanta Falcons used the No. 48 overall pick on Friday night in the 2026 NFL Draft to select the former Clemson football cornerback, setting up a reunion with his older brother, A.J. Terrell. It also continued a strong draft showing for Clemson, with Terrell becoming the fourth Tiger selected after Blake Miller, Peter Woods and T.J. Parker all came off the board earlier.

The connection in Atlanta is the headline. A.J. Terrell has already built himself into one of the league’s top cornerbacks, and now his younger brother gets the chance to line up alongside him. It’s a full-circle moment for a family that’s produced high-level defensive backs, and it gives the Falcons another athletic, physical presence in the secondary.

The Terrells also join a short list of Clemson brother tandems to both hear their names called on draft weekend. The McSwain brothers were the first to do it in the 1980s, followed by the well-known Perry brothers, with William “Refrigerator” Perry helping lead the Bears to a Super Bowl title and Michael Dean Perry going on to a long, decorated NFL career.

Avieon Terrell built his own resume in a short time at Clemson. Across three seasons, he totaled 128 tackles, 30 pass breakups, three interceptions, 4.0 sacks, eight forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries. He earned All-ACC honors twice and broke school records for forced fumbles by a defensive back, both in a single season and over a career.

His 2025 season pushed him into national recognition. Terrell earned All-American honors and became Clemson’s first AP All-American at cornerback in nearly a decade. He finished that year with 46 tackles, 3.0 sacks, 11 pass breakups and five forced fumbles, showing off his ability to impact the game in multiple ways.

Even going back to his freshman year, consistency stood out. He appeared in every game and worked his way into the starting lineup early, then followed it up by starting every game in 2024 while putting together one of the most productive seasons by a Clemson defensive back in recent memory.

Now, he heads to the NFL with familiarity already built in. And in Atlanta, the Terrell name is about to carry even more weight.

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This article originally appeared on Clemson Wire: Clemson’s Avieon Terrell drafted by Atlanta Falcons in 2026 NFL Draft