Mel Kiper names a Clemson player one of his favorite draft prospects

ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. took a position-by-position look at players he likes in this year’s draft, and Clemson football cornerback Avieon Terrell showed up in his group at corner.

Instead of picking just one, Kiper highlighted three players with similar builds and skill sets, pairing Terrell with Indiana’s D’Angelo Ponds and Duke’s Chandler Rivers. All three are slightly undersized for the position, and he sees them fitting best as slot corners at the next level.

“I went three-deep at cornerback, but Terrell, (Indiana’s D’Angelo) Ponds and (Duke’s Chandler) Rivers are all somewhat similar as prospects. All three have versatility, but are likely slot corners in the NFL. Terrell is 5-foot-11 and 186 pounds,” Kiper said. “Ponds is 5-foot-9 and 182 pounds. And Rivers is 5-foot-10 and 185 pounds. Not the most ideal size across the board.

“But they all play a spunky brand of football. They maximize their ability with sound route recognition, good awareness and a knack for making plays. Ponds used his explosion (43½-inch vertical jump at the combine) and ball skills to tally seven picks and 27 pass breakups over three seasons. Rivers nearly matched Ponds, with seven INTs and 23 pass breakups over four years. He locates the ball well and can then plant and drive with his 4.4 speed. And Terrell can flip his hips, stick on even the fastest receivers and then find the ball at just the right moment. He had three picks and 27 pass breakups over three seasons.

“Terrell, Ponds and Rivers aren’t shy about contact despite their frames. They’re tough cornerbacks. And I’d bet all three do a lot of the same impactful things they did in college, pick off passes, force fumbles, block kicks, etc., in the pros. Terrell and Ponds are second-rounders to me, and I’d say Rivers comes off the board in the third or fourth round.”

Terrell’s game continues to stand out because of how steady he is in coverage. He may not check every size box teams look for, but his quickness, awareness and ability to stay in phase give him a real shot to come off the board earlier than some might expect.