A big story is developing in college football, as one of the best defenders has decided to opt out of the 2020 season. That player is Caleb Farley, a junior cornerback from Virginia Tech. Farley is regarded as one of the best cornerbacks in college football and is considered a first-round prospect in the 2021 NFL Draft.
In a statement made on Wednesday, Farley announced that he will not be suiting up for the Hokies this season in order to keep himself and his family healthy. He will take this time to prepare for the upcoming draft. Adam Schefter was the first to tweet the news along with the video announcement from Farley.
This is a big loss for Virginia Tech, as Farley was certainly the best player on their defense. After transitioning from wide receiver to cornerback before college, Farley thrived for the Hokies. He had a dominant sophomore season, bringing in 4 interceptions and returning one for a touchdown. Farley also added 12 pass deflections and held opposing quarterbacks to a 29.2 passer rating when targeted. Farley was recently ranked as 247Sports’s number 16 overall player in college football.
This could very well start a chain reaction of other top prospects opting out of the 2020 season. Farley is one of the highest ranked draft eligible prospects, so other top prospects might make the same decision. Will this hurt Caleb Farley’s draft stock? It’s too early to tell. However, you cannot fault a player for choosing health and safety over football. Farley proved to be a lockdown cornerback in 2019, so he should not slide too far down draft boards.
Farley is the second player to opt out of the 2020 season, as Illinois running back Ra’Von Bonner announced on Tuesday that he would be sitting out. There will likely be more players opting out in the next few weeks leading up to the 2020 season.
