FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — Avieon Terrell likes following in his older brother's footsteps.

He did so when he became a standout cornerback at Westlake High School in Atlanta. He did so when he enrolled at Clemson University and met the sky-high expectations that came with his family name. And now, after the Atlanta Falcons selected Avieon with the 48th overall pick, he begins his professional career in the same place his brother A.J. Terrell Jr. did.

"As soon as I'd seen that call, soon as I'd seen that call, I knew it became real. My emotion was tears of joy, just tears of joy," Avieon said of getting the phone call. "Just knowing all the hard work I put in and getting that call, it just felt good. Hugging bro, that felt good. Me and bro hadn't had one of those hugs in a long time, so we let it out during that hug for sure."

Despite playing for the same high school and college programs, the Terrell brothers have never actually shared a locker room together. That now changes in Atlanta, and the Falcons' newest rookie should compete for the opportunity to share the field with his older brother for the first time as well. Mike Hughes is the incumbent starter at the No. 2 spot, a role he's held for two seasons. But the younger Terrell was considered a borderline first-round pick by many draft experts for a reason, and he has a game that should translate well to the next level if the Falcons want to start him on the outside. Terrell also has the ability to play in the slot and could factor in there if Billy Bowman Jr. is hindered at all in his return from last year's injury.

Already having such a strong connection with someone on the roster should allow for a smooth entry into the NFL. In fact, Avieon was with A.J. and his family when he got the call, and the two shared a hug that immediately showed the strength of their bond. It also marked the end of an interesting few minutes for A.J. Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski called his No. 1 cornerback a few picks before Atlanta was on the clock to let him know their intentions. That meant A.J. knew what was going to happen before his little brother. It also meant he had to keep a good poker face.

"I'm expecting my little bro's phone to ring, and my phone rings," the older Terrell told Atlanta media on Friday night. "When I seen coach hit me, I didn't want to show too much emotion because little bro was standing right next to me. But I already knew what that call was for. As soon as he told me, it was time for me to hold my water for a second. I was trying to hide my emotion and everything for like two [picks], I had to wait three picks before I could even show some type of love to him."

There is a real learning curve for young cornerbacks in the NFL, but Terrell should benefit greatly from having a family member in his corner who knows exactly how to navigate it. The Falcons' second-round pick should be as well-equipped to hit the ground running as any rookie could be, which means the defense should feel his impact sooner rather than later.

A two-and-a-half-year starter for Clemson from 2023-25, Terrell plays with a fiery demeanor that pairs very well with his smooth movements and top-notch body control. He is polished in his feel for the game with an advanced understanding of coverages. Like his older brother, Terrell is quick to close on a receiver in zone coverage and stick his nose into the fray as a run defender. He can also bully a receiver off the line and stick in his hip pocket in man coverage, which he will likely be asked to do a good deal of in Jeff Ulbrich's defense.

"To me, Avieon is a first-rounder talent-wise. I think he can play either corner spot, he can play the nickel, and he's an elite competitor," Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney told atlantafalcons.com. "He loves to prepare. He loves to practice. He's a gym rat. He's a very smart, instinctual player, and he's a guy that was a joy to coach. He showed up and loved to compete. Banged up? It didn't matter. He was always ready to go compete. I think he's a really good tackler. I think he's a physical kid. He's a ball hawk. He gets the ball out, whether he rips it out, punches it out or knocks it out. He causes a lot of fumbles."

Terrell set a single-season record for defensive backs at Clemson with five forced fumbles in 2025. His eight career forced fumbles are also the school's all-time mark at the position. NFL defensive coaches emphasize the importance of having a mindset for generating turnovers, but it's clear Terrell has already adopted that ball-hunting mentality. His instincts often lead him to the right place, and Terrell knows what to do when he gets there.

It's always a special moment when a player's NFL journey begins in the same city his journey to the NFL did. It's extremely rare to have that moment involve a family member in such a connected way. Their hug after Avieon received his phone call went viral on Friday night because it contained genuine emotion for a moment that had become two things at once: A celebration of all that had been accomplished, and the kickoff of a new football chapter together. After a lifetime of thinking about what it would be like to play alongside his older brother, Avieon Terrell is about to find out.

"I always thought of it, and look, the dream came true," Avieon said. "So I feel like, hey, it's time for it. They messed up letting me and bro team up. So, it's time for it. They messed up. I love it."