A.J. Terrell on Falcons’ defensive rookies: ‘They’re all about their business’

“Everybody coming in, trying to look ‘tough guy,’” Terrell said Monday after the Falcons’ organized team activities. “I ain’t seen no clowns. Ain’t nobody joking. They’re all about their business.”

Terrell gravitated toward outside linebacker James Pearce Jr. out of the five rookies, but it was only after an assist from head coach Raheem Morris.

Morris saw a bit of Terrell’s personality in Pearce, so he told the rookie to speak with the veteran.

And if that didn’t work, Morris also made them locker mates.

“James is a really serious rookie,” Morris said. “You’re gonna be hard-pressed to get a smile out of him until he knows you. I kind of thought they had similar traits.”

Each defensive rookie latched onto a veteran, according to the second-year head coach. Pearce has Terrell, outside linebacker Jalon Walker gravitated toward Jessie Bates, and Xavier Watts is close with fellow safety Jordan Fuller.

All three duos have personalities that mesh well. Morris said that Walker and Bates are outgoing, while Watts and Fuller are more quiet.

The one exception to the pairings is safety Billy Bowman Jr., who was drawn toward everyone.

“You can tell he is watching, he is learning, he is grasping from everybody,” Morris said. “Whether it be anybody from his room or outside of his room, you can tell he has a certain mentality that he wants to get better. So (the rookies) have been a lot of fun to watch. (It’s) been a lot of fun to watch those guys form those relationships.”

All of the veterans understand what comes with being highly drafted — the pressure to perform, the expectations of becoming a starter, the mental and physical adjustments required to succeed in the NFL — and they want to make that transition as smooth as possible.

And, luckily for the Falcons, their rookie class is eager to learn.

“They all mature right now,” Terrell said. “Everybody is a sponge. They all want to work. It’s easy to interact with them. It ain’t a force. They all got different personalities, of course, but that’s what comes with the locker room. You get to learn your teammates and know what they like and what they don’t like. But they all mature right now. Everybody wants to make an impact early.”