ESPN places Falcons veteran on hot seat after 2026 NFL Draft

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The Atlanta Falcons landed one of the biggest steals on Day 2 of the 2026 NFL Draft, selecting Clemson cornerback Avieon Terrell with the 48th overall pick. Not only was Terrell a projected first-round talent, but he's the younger brother of Falcons cornerback A.J. Terrell.

The two former Clemson standouts each play a role in Atlanta's secondary for years to come, but when should A.J. Terrell expect to see his little brother enter the starting lineup? While Avieon Terrell has many NFL-ready traits, the Falcons have another solid starting cornerback in Mike Hughes.

A former first-round pick, Hughes struggled early in his career and bounced around for his first few NFL seasons. He signed with the Falcons in 2023 and after starting just four games that season, he took on a greater role in 2024 under head coach Raheem Morris.

Even though Hughes has been fairly steady as the team's No. 2 cornerback, some NFL analysts feel the veteran's time in the starting lineup could be coming to an end.

ESPN's Ben Solak named Hughes as the Falcons' veteran on the hot seat following the 2026 NFL Draft, highlighting the potential emergence of Terrell as a rookie:

The Falcons rewarded Hughes' strong 2024 season with a three-year extension. In the first year of that deal, Hughes underwhelmed. His yards per coverage snap allowed leapt from 1.0 to 1.5, and poor tackling in run support glared on their opponents' biggest plays. It's fair to expect a bounce-back season -- Hughes dealt with neck and ankle injuries -- but it's also fair to be dubious. Atlanta added an immediate contender for Hughes' job in Avieon Terrell, the younger brother of incumbent star A.J. Terrell Jr. The younger Terrell is not a one-for-one replacement for Hughes, as he's a smaller player who might be better destined for the slot.

But 2025 fourth-rounder Billy Bowman Jr. was strong in the slot before a devastating torn Achilles during a November walk-through. If Bowman isn't back to form, Avieon Terrell might instead man the nickel position and keep Hughes in the starting lineup in 2026. But Terrell in the second round was the earliest pick the Falcons had in the 2026 draft, and they had other more pressing needs on the table -- that's difficult to ignore. This isn't some Round 4 toolsy prospect. This was a top-50 pick with already a ton of internal buy-in given his family name. I won't be surprised when Terrell and Hughes are rotating first-team snaps in camp. -- Ben Solak, ESPN

As Solak pointed out, Hughes is still under contract for two more seasons (through 2027), but Terrell will certainly be in the mix for a starting job if he plays well enough during training camp.

Head coach Kevin Stefanski said Terrell would not be participating at the team's rookie minicamp, but the second-round pick still found a way onto the field over the weekend.

Atlanta went from having one of the worst secondaries, to one of the better units in the NFL under Jeff Ulbrich last season. We don't anticipate Terrell stealing Hughes' job right away, but we do think he will fit best on the outside despite his small stature.

We'll have to wait and see how the official depth chart unfolds, but the Falcons surely won't be complaining about having too much depth in the secondary.

This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: Atlanta Falcons: ESPN puts Mike Hughes on hot seat for 2026

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