The 2021 NFL Draft will be a great event for teams to start building for their future. Here is the Caleb Farley 2021 NFL Draft profile.
Background
Position: Cornerback
Size: 6-foot-2, 207 pounds
Class: Redshirt Junior
2019 stats: 20 total tackles, 4 interceptions, 12 passes defended, 1 touchdown
Amid the COVID Pandemic, Farley decided to sit out the 2020 college football season to prepare for the 2021 NFL Draft. He spent two good seasons on the field for the Hokies, but doesn’t want to risk his family’s health after losing his mother to breast cancer in 2018.
Farley was originally a wide receiver when he stepped on Virginia Tech’s campus, but hurt his knee and was redshirted. In 2018, Farley was moved to cornerback. He had 36 total tackles, seven passes defended and two interceptions in his first year at corner. The Hokies finished the season 6-7, which ended with a Belk Bowl loss to Cincinnati. For the 2019 season, Farley had 20 tackles, 12 passes defended and four interceptions. His play helped Virginia Tech finish 8-5 after a Belk Bowl loss to Kentucky.
Even though he has only spent two seasons at corner, Farley is ready for the 2021 NFL Draft without playing the 2020 season. He is projected to be selected in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft.
Strengths
Farley has a great build for a corner. He stands 6-foot-2 and 207 pounds, which will give him all the physical tools to match up with outside receivers. His size and length allows him to be disruptive when the ball is thrown his way. It will also allow him to be versatile, as his size will be desirable for teams running zone schemes.
His athleticism will be one of the best in the class at his position. He has great body control and runs fast. Not only is he fast, but he can jump a has fluid movement skills. With his size and athleticism, he won’t find himself in many mismatches against NFL receivers. His athleticism allows him to match up well in man to man coverage.
Farley is great in coverage, so he isn’t targeted frequently. When he is targeted though, he displays great ball skills. His time spent on the offensive side of the ball before his switch to cornerback is very apparent. He goes up and attacks the football. Farley is able to rip it away from receivers and is a threat to return it for a touchdown once he has it in his hands.
Weaknesses
While he has the length and size to be good in zone coverage, he has some lapses that he needs to work on. He has times where he allows men to get open and find the soft spot in the zone right around him. Farley also can get way too close to other defenders when in zone coverage, which leaves open space. With more time at the position, Farley could get better spatial awareness and become a better zone corner because of his size and talent.
He hasn’t shown to be a huge factor against the run. Farley isn’t aggressive and doesn’t run down ball carriers well. He’ll have to have better play diagnosis, pursuit and tackling at the next level. If he is left on the outside to cover this won’t become a huge issue, but he has the tools to be great in this area if he changes his mindset.
His technique is solid for a player that has just learned the position in the last few years, but he can still improve. He moves well, which covers some of his technique issues up. Farley should be better at press coverage because of his size and length, but his technique often allows him to get beat. If he can learn better technique, his athleticism will allow him to become a great corner in the NFL.
Projected Draft Range: First Round Pick-Second Round Pick
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