Avieon Terrell #DB31 of Clemson participates in a drill during the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on February 27, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Lauren Leigh Bacho/Getty Images)
ATLANTA - The Atlanta Falcons chose Clemson cornerback Avieon Terrell in the second round of the NFL draft Friday night, reuniting him with his older brother in the team's secondary.
Falcons pair Terrell brothers in secondary
What we know:
The Falcons used the No. 48 overall pick to select Avieon Terrell, creating a "bookend brothers" duo at cornerback.
Avieon joins his older brother, A.J. Terrell, who was also a first-round pick out of Clemson for Atlanta in 2020.
The siblings shared a hug when the pick was announced.
This selection marks the first for the Falcons’ new leadership group, which includes president of football Matt Ryan, general manager Ian Cunningham, and coach Kevin Stefanski.
Atlanta was among eight teams without a first-round pick Thursday and holds only five picks in this year's draft.
Questions remain for James Pearce Jr.
What we don't know:
While linebacker James Pearce Jr. has reached a legal agreement to resolve his felony charges, it is not yet clear if the NFL will suspend him for violating the league’s personal conduct policy. Additionally, the Falcons have not specified how they will use their remaining three draft picks.
Pearce enters legal diversion program
The backstory:
Atlanta traded its 2026 first-round pick to the Los Angeles Rams last year to acquire James Pearce Jr.
While Pearce recorded 10.5 sacks as a rookie, he was arrested Feb. 7 near Miami following an incident with his former girlfriend, WNBA player Rickea Jackson.
On Thursday, his attorney, Jacob Nunez, announced Pearce will enter a six-month pretrial intervention program.
If he completes the program without a violation, the state of Florida will dismiss all charges against him.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from an Associated Press report by sports writer Charles Odum, and the Atlanta Falcons.