Terrion Arnold explains his emotions ahead of draft night, ultimate goal in the NFL
Alabama cornerback Terrion Arnold is not just regarded as one of the best cornerbacks ahead of this year’s NFL Draft, but one of the best overall defensive players following his impressive career with the Crimson Tide.
Arnold is a lock to be a first-round pick in Thursday’s draft, which he’s clearly trying to live up to as he revealed a lofty NFL goal when NFL Network’s Kyle Brandt asked him about the emotions he’s feeling ahead of the draft in Detroit.
“Honestly I just feel like this is a moment that I’ve been waiting for my whole life, just another step in the journey,” Arnold said on Good Morning Football. “Like I always say, I want to get that gold jacket, so it’s just another thing in the road that you’ve got to get over.”
Arnold is shooting for the stars before taking a single snap at the NFL level, already aspiring to be one of the league’s greats and eventually find himself in Canton as a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame when his career is all said and done. Also explaining the logic behind his ambition to Brandt in Detroit.
“Because when you set goals, you try to set goals — something that’s going to drive you your whole life to get there. Like the goal has never been to get drafted, obviously that’s part of the 1%, but getting drafted is one thing,” Arnold explained. “Like they say NFL is not for long, so obviously now you got to that to where you know you’re going to get drafted. Then you want to establish yourself and you want to become an impact player. Like one of those players when I come back you’ll be like, ‘Oh that’s Terrion, I remember when he told me that.'”
After redshirting in his freshman season at Alabama, Arnold quickly emerged as a breakout star in two years time. Named a Freshman All-American and to the Freshman All-SEC Team followed by earning First-Team All-American and All-SEC recognition last season. Ending his Crimson Tide career with 108 tackles, 26 pass breakups, 7.5 tackles for loss, and one interception, forced fumble, fumble recovery, and sack apiece.
He’ll look to translate that production at the NFL level, and if he can do so for a long time, he may have to get his Hall of Fame speech prepared in the future.
“I haven’t rehearsed it, I’m more kind of off script. But you know I can wing it, I can do whatever,” Arnold concluded.