TERRELL’S VERSATILITY
Clemson CB could make sense
Clemson cornerback A.J. Terrell knew what was coming when he entered the scouting combine interview room Feb. 28.
There were questions about his team’s national title-game loss to LSU in general and his play against receiver Ja’Marr Chase in particular. Lots of questions.
“Anybody that has a question mark under my name, I’m here to answer all those questions through my play and performance,” Terrell said. “Just great competition (against Chase). We started off strong, but he got the best of me on some plays, and it went back and forth. Every time we lined up, I couldn’t take a play off.”
Teams will obviously look at Terrell’s complete body of work, which included six interceptions in 44 career games (30 starts) over three seasons.
Terrell could make sense for the Broncos if they trade down from No. 15 in the first round or trade up from No. 46 in the second round. A.J. Bouye, acquired from Jacksonville last month, will play one outside spot. In subpackage personnel, Bryce Callahan (if healthy) would play against the slot receiver, leaving a need for the other outside spot.
Terrell’s national title game started well enough. He plastered Chase in coverage as quarterback Joe Burrow was forced to scramble and eventually broke up the pass. Two plays later, Terrell delivered an initial jab to Chase’s face mask to throw off the LSU receiver’s timing and ended up with another pass breakup.
But the rest of the first half was a debacle. Chase scored on a 52-yard touchdown (go route) when Terrell allowed a free release. Chase gained 15 yards on a quick slant. Chase gained 56 yards on a corner route (Terrell saved the touchdown). And Chase scored on a 14-yard touchdown when he got away from Terrell’s jam and caught Burrow’s perfectly placed pass. Terrell also missed two tackles in the run game.
In the second half, Terrell allowed a 6yard catch by tight end Thaddeus Moss and was later called for a penalty, but Chase stayed on the other side of the formation.
“For me, it was just me being able to understand what happened (in the first half ) and that game wasn’t over, and having a short-term memory at the position of cornerback was key,” Terrell said. “You can’t put your head down for too long. You just have to play the next play.”
That mind-set will come in handy in the NFL. What should also help Terrell’s transition to the NFL is Clemson’s defensive philosophy. Against LSU, coordinator Brent Venables had Terrell line up at left and right cornerback, left and right slot cover man and as an “off” defender who would retreat into zone coverage. Terrell also covered the tight end on several snaps.
Most of all, Venables trusted his players in press man coverage, something that other draft-eligible cornerbacks can’t say.
“It’s no pressure. It’s the scheme,” Terrell said. “You have to trust the system and do what you do. … (Venables) helped me tremendously. He always got me prepared for every moment. He’s a great guy and always wanted to get the best out of me and the other players. And that’s what he got from me. I loved working with him.”
Ohio State’s Jeff Okudah and Florida’s C.J. Henderson are arguably the top two cornerbacks available. Terrell could be in the mix early in the second round.
“When you start getting to (Rounds 2-3), you’ve got a guy like Terrell, who’s really tall (6-foot-1), lean and fluid,” NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah said. “He was somebody that played a variety of techniques (at Clemson), and he’s a really good blitzer coming off the boundary, too.”