The Cleveland Browns had a solid plan for the cornerback position when training camp opened in the summer of 2025.
Denzel Ward was the clear No. 1 cornerback, with Greg Newsome II holding down the other starter’s spot. Martin Emerson Jr., entering the final year of his rookie contract, was the clear third cornerback.
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But fate, as it often does, had other ideas.
Emerson was lost for the season in training camp with a torn Achilles, while Newsome was traded in October to the Jacksonville Jaguars for cornerback Tyson Campbell.
Once he got his bearings, Campbell played well enough to claim the second cornerback position, but the vacancy left by Emerson was never adequately filled.
Heading into the 2026 NFL Draft next week, general manager Andrew Berry really should be focusing on fixing the offense in the first round, but if he decides that adding a prospective top player to the secondary, he may turn his focus to cornerback Avieon Terrell from Clemson.
Name: Avieon Terrell
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Position: Cornerback
Height/Weight: 5-foot-11, 186 pounds
College: Clemson Tigers
2025 Defensive Stats: 12 games, 48 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, 0 interceptions, 9 passes defensed, 1 fumble recovery, 5 forced fumbles
Career Defensive Stats: 39 games, 125 tackles, 9 tackles for loss, 4 sacks, 3 interceptions, 25 passes defensed, 3 fumble recoveries, 8 forced fumbles
Average “Big Board” Position as of Publishing Date from Mock Draft Database: 25th overall, projected first round
The Draft Network’s Grade/Round Value: Round 1 – Pro Bowl Caliber
What an Expert is Saying
Lance Zierlein at NFL.com:
Avieon shares the same bloodlines and coverage temperament as his brother, A.J., a first-round pick of the Falcons in 2020. Avieon Terrell is an athletic, fluid mover with clean transitions and enough speed to stay in phase on most vertical routes. He’s most effective in press-man coverage, where he mirrors releases with timing and discipline, staying crowded to the route. He concedes 50/50s to bigger targets at times, but is a constant catch irritant with good technique on all three levels. He can play wide or inside and is willing in run support, but he lacks ideal size. Terrell projects as an early starter thanks to his polish, ball skills, and coverage versatility.
What an Expert is Saying (Bonus Round):
Dane Brugler at The Athletic:
A two-and-a-half-year starter at Clemson, Terrell was an outside cornerback who slid inside in subpackage looks in defensive coordinator Tom Allen’s scheme. With an All-Pro NFL cornerback for an older brother, Terrell had sky-high expectations at Clemson — and frequently met them. He started 31 straight games to finish his career and led the Tigers in passes defended as both a sophomore and junior.
Terrell is a fluid, easy mover with light footwork in his pedal and read-and-drive reactions. He crowds receivers up and down the field and displays instinctive qualities to find and play the football. You would like to see more interceptions from him, but he made plenty of impact plays the past two seasons (21 passes defended, eight forced fumbles) and competes with a “Honey Badger” aura. His physicality jumps off the tape versus both pass and run, although he will struggle playing through bigger bodies to affect the catch point.
Terrell is undersized, but NFL teams, especially those running press-heavy schemes, would be wise to bet on his reaction quickness and compete skills. He projects as a rookie starter with inside-outside versatility.
Fit with the Browns
The Browns can use a third cornerback now that the team has pretty much moved on from Martin Emerson Jr. Using a first-round selection at the position could be seen as a luxury with left tackle and wide receiver being bigger issues, but Denzel Ward is not getting any younger, and while Tyson Campbell looked solid after arriving from Jacksonville in a in-season trade, the second year in Cleveland is not always kind to players who looked good at first glance.
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The cornerback group is deep this year, so if Terrell is there in the second round, then Berry may be willing to pounce. Especially for a player who is versatile enough to play both inside and outside at cornerback.
Cleveland could be tempted if they trade down far enough in the first round, but left tackle and wide receiver are still such a major need that it is hard to see the Browns addressing cornerback with a pick at either No. 6 or No. 24.
Browns Player Drafting Could Impact
Ward and Campbell are locks, but Tre Avery, Myles Bryant, Myles Harden, Dom Jones, and D’Angelo Ross would all be fighting to avoid being the odd man out.
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What are your thoughts on Avieon Terrell? Should the Browns select a cornerback, especially in the first round, or do they have bigger needs? Let us know in the comments!
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