The bright lights of Santa Clara’s Levi’s Stadium shine down on a crowd of 75,000. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has the ball, standing at center as he scans the field for an open target. He makes his choice, throws an absolute bullet — and is intercepted by cornerback AJ Terrell. Terrell steals his way downfield to the end zone, earning a pick six to open the scoring.

The beauty of this scenario is that it could be the Miami Dolphins versus the Atlanta Falcons as a professional big-name game or the Alabama Crimson Tide against the Clemson Tigers as a top collegiate matchup.

It was the 2019 national championship title game, and Terrell both grew his draft stock and cemented himself in Clemson football history with this play less than two minutes into the matchup.

“You could feel the jitters going in. Like I said, we were trying to have that perfect season. Swinney prepared us going into that game with watching the ‘Rocky Balboa’ trilogy,” the current Falcon said while reflecting on his self-proclaimed favorite game of his collegiate career.

“We had a stacked team, and Bama had a stacked team. Their offense — running backs Najee Harris, DeVonta Smith, Jerry Jeudy. We watched a lot of film, picked up on things that Tua, Nick Saban and all of them liked to do with route concepts and all that. (The) main thing I was focusing on was the back end,” he said.

“I feel like the game was already won as soon as I set the tone with that pick six.”

The rest is history. After returning for his junior season, Terrell declared for the 2020 NFL draft and was selected 16th overall by the Falcons. Growing up in Atlanta, returning home just meant more for Terrell — especially because it enabled him to stay close to his little brother Avieon, who at the time was a sophomore in high school beginning to attract the attention of recruiters.

Two years later, Avieon announced his commitment to his older brother’s alma mater through a video that showed him in Death Valley wearing AJ’s jersey number, eight.

“Clemson just felt like home,” he told Sports Illustrated. “I really couldn’t build a better relationship with anyone else. It was just home for me from the beginning.”

As a legacy recruit, the younger of the duo has the added challenge of proving his own name, separate from his brother’s. To achieve this, he knows he has to be better — and that’s a high bar.

“I’ve always looked up to him. I want to be better than him, but I have to get to that stage first. He always pushes me to do better. He’s the best corner, and I still have to get where he is,” Avieon said before his freshman campaign.

While humility is a valuable trait, AJ doesn’t necessarily agree with his brother’s assessment.

“He’s way ahead of me. I feel like he was ahead of me at every phase of football at every age. He had a strong campaign last year with his freshman year; made a lot of noise. My start was a little slower, I got mine my sophomore year,” the proud older brother told members of the media ahead of the Georgia game.

“It’s nothing new to me. Nothing he does surprises me, so I can’t wait for what this year holds for him.”

Being seven years apart, Avieon was still in elementary school when AJ was being recruited. At such an impressionable age, it’s no wonder he was drawn to coach Swinney and the Tigers as well. It’s no secret that Swinney emphasizes family ties and loyalty within his program, and the Terrells thrive on that foundation of brotherhood.

“It was hard to turn down Clemson. Like I said, he was with me all along, so he’s seen the love, he’s seen what I felt early on, and then it’s always been (like) that from my success through the University,” AJ said.

“That offer really meant a lot when it came. It was a slow process, he didn’t commit right away — but you know, he did and he didn’t at the same time. I told him to weigh his options out, go look at other schools; enjoy the process of recruitment. He ultimately chose the right school, we all thought.”

The brothers attended Westlake High School outside of Atlanta, which has made a name for itself, churning out strong secondary players. Nate Wiggins, who now plays for the Baltimore Ravens after being selected 30th overall in this year’s draft, was a teammate of Avieon’s in both high school and college. Last year, Avieon “soaked up all the knowledge he could” from Wiggins, and now the student has become the teacher.

“For me, it’s being more of a leader. Last year, I was trying to find my way in. This year, I have to lead a lot more. I’m leading my brothers,” he said at camp last month.

His evolution has been heavily monitored thanks to his surname. Sheridan Jones, whose graduation this year opened space in the cornerback room for Avieon to pilot the unit, was especially sentimental seeing the younger Terrell come in last season.

“For me, it’s a little personal just seeing Avieon come in here knowing that my freshman year, AJ was on his way out,” Jones said.

“So just me gelling with him and learning from him every day, all I could soak up from him my freshman year, and just seeing his younger brother not only makes me feel old but (also that) Clemson is just a different place, there’s so much love and just watching him and excited to see what he is going to do.”

AJ recently signed a four-year, $81 million contract with Atlanta, making him the second-highest paid in his position. As he enters his fifth season in the league, he’s racked up 247 total tackles — 183 of which were solo — four interceptions, four forced fumbles and eight stuffs. Staying healthy in the NFL is a game of chance as injuries run rampant, and AJ makes sure to keep an eye out for his younger counterpart.

“We definitely don’t get work in during the season, and in the league our offseason schedule is more player-led than theirs. They have to be back for workouts and stuff like that, but any chance that he does come back down here, we always get work in, whether it be field work or weight room work,” AJ said.

“Any type of work that we can put in together, that’s what we do. I’m trying to get him in on some of my treatment as well, try to get that going early — prehabbing before rehabbing, getting the body right, so little things like that just to elevate his game and make sure his body is right and he’s healthy headed back to Clemson.

“Those are things I try to implement when he’s here, but otherwise, I don’t get to see him much during the season.”

Although the Tigers fell to No. 1 Georgia by a 31-point deficit last weekend, Avieon still found the positives needed to turn his perception of the loss around.

“It felt good having big bro out there watching me. That was a dream come true to play in the stadium that he plays in,” he said on Tuesday.

“In the offseason, we train every day together, when I’m in Georgia, so it feels good to hear him say that (I’m better at this phase).”

The Terrell dynasty is not over just yet — Avieon mentioned a nephew who is already eager to follow in their footsteps. “He’s five years old, but he’s next. He doesn’t have any offers — yet.”