Clemson's Avieon Terrell vs. Tennessee's Jermod McCoy: ESPN Debates Best CBs for 2026 NFL Draft

The Clemson Tigers are setting up for a valuable class to head to the 2026 NFL Draft, and there’s a position group that may have a Tiger at the top of the board: cornerback. 

Avieon Terrell is heading into his junior year with the team, looking to continue to follow in the footsteps of his older brother, AJ. Now, ESPN NFL Draft analyst Matt Miller believes that Terrell is one of the best in the country, pairing him with Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy. 

McCoy was a Second Team All-American a season ago, preparing for a junior season that would mark him as the best in the country. However, the Whitehouse, Texas, native tore his ACL in offseason workouts in January, and while he is returning later this season, it makes for an open spot for the title, something that Terrell could do. 

Miller wrote that Terrell has “a complete game” as a defender, featuring “quickness, stout ability in the run game and elite timing. He has a knack for knocking away passes at the catch point.”

In his sophomore season, the 5-foot-11, 180-pound cornerback finished with two interceptions, three forced fumbles and two recoveries. In addition to 21 pass breakups in 14 games played, the second team All-ACC player is looking to have a breakout season with new defensive coordinator, Tom Allen. 

However, the NFL scouts and Miller are still enamored with McCoy, despite the injury. The closing speed that the Tennessee standout showed in 2024 gives him “shutdown corner potential”.

The big question that scouts have will be if McCoy is able to get back to the quality that he was at before the injury. 

"McCoy is the best in the country, but he's a question mark for us right now," an NFC scouting director said. "If he's out, Terrell is the cleanest in terms of technique, even if he's undersized."

Terrell will look to take another step in what could be his final year in college football. His brother was able to win a national championship with the Tigers in 2018, and that will be on his mind as he enters the season seven years later. 

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