Caleb Farley - Cornerback Virginia Tech Hokies Scouting Report

Scouting report for NFL Draft prospect Caleb Farley

Author:
The NFL Draft Bible
Publish date:
Apr 11, 2021 10:50 PM EDT

CALEB FARLEY | Virginia Tech | DC | #3 | rJr | 6010 | 207 | Hickory, NC | Maiden HS | 11.02.98

Overview:

There might not be a more physically gifted cornerback in the 2021 draft than Farley. With outstanding size and length for the position, Farley has the body type to match up favorably against bigger boundary wide receivers with high effectiveness. Playing mostly off-man coverage, Farley has some uncommon transitional quickness for a player his size. His click and close out of his back-pedal is some of the easiest movements found regardless of his size. Farley is able to close quickly on all underneath routes, routinely affecting the catch point. As a former wide receiver early in his career, Farley has some insane ball skills that enables him to make a plethora of plays in the air, posting a lot of big-time ball production during his career. He is a springy athlete who is able to elevate and win at the highest point in the air. If he is able to put it all together in the near future, Farley has the type of upside to become one of the top cover corners in the NFL in the near future. Still relatively new to the position, some technical lapses for Farley can be seen at times. Live reps are essential for Farley moving forward, something that he missed out on during the 2020 season after opting out. He is not comfortable in press currently, failing to unlock his physicality to stun momentum early in reps. In zone coverage, far too often he is out of position, failing to stay disciplined in deep zone coverage. This can lead to some big plays for the offense. The North Carolina native has dealt with a variety of injuries during his career, including a torn ACL that cost him the 2017 season. He will need to quiet those durability concerns early in his career. With Farley’s combination of size, ball skills and athleticism, he is a good bet to hear his name inside the first round of the 2021 draft.

Background:

A first-team All-ACC selection during the 2019 season after leading the conference with 16 pass breakups, Farley started 23 of 24 games played during his career. Missed the 2017 season recovering from a torn ACL. Opted out of the 2020 season. Was an All-State quarterback at Maiden High School in Hickory, North Carolina. Began his Hokies career at wide receiver.