Caleb Ray Farley (born November 2, 1998) is an American professional football cornerback for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Virginia Tech and was drafted by the Tennessee Titans in the first round of the 2021 NFL draft.
 Farley in 2021 | |||||||
| No. 31 – Carolina Panthers | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position: | Cornerback | ||||||
| Personal information | |||||||
| Born: | November 2, 1998 Maiden, North Carolina, U.S. | ||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||||
| Weight: | 197 lb (89 kg) | ||||||
| Career information | |||||||
| High school: | Maiden (Maiden, North Carolina) | ||||||
| College: | Virginia Tech (2017–2020) | ||||||
| NFL draft: | 2021 / round: 1 / pick: 22 | ||||||
| Career history | |||||||
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| Roster status: | Active | ||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||
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| Career NFL statistics as of Week 9, 2024 | |||||||
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Farley struggled with injuries throughout his tenure with the Titans. He played in only twelve games with two starts in his first two seasons before missing the entire 2023 season. He was released by the Titans prior to the start of the 2024 season.
Early life
editFarley attended Maiden High School in Maiden, North Carolina. He played quarterback in high school. As a senior he passed for 1,776 yards with 21 touchdowns and rushed for 2,574 yards with 37 rushing touchdowns. For his career he had 10,425 total yards and 124 touchdowns.[1] He committed to Virginia Tech to play college football.[2]
College career
editFarley originally intended to be a wide receiver his freshman year at Virginia Tech in 2017, but missed the season due to a torn ACL.[3] Returning from the injury in 2018, he was converted into a cornerback.[4] He finished the season with 36 tackles, two interceptions and a sack.[5] In 2019 Farley was named a first-team All-ACC after recording 20 tackles, four interceptions, and a touchdown.[6][7][8]
Farley returned to Virginia Tech for his junior season in 2020 but later opted out due to COVID-19 pandemic.[9][10]
Professional career
edit| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft 1+7⁄8 in (1.88 m) |
197 lb (89 kg) |
33+3⁄8 in (0.85 m) |
8+3⁄4 in (0.22 m) | |||||||||
| All values from Pro Day[11][12] | ||||||||||||
Farley was considered a very risky prospect for the upcoming NFL Draft due to concerns over his multiple injuries and recent back problems.[13] As a result, his draft stock fell and he was regarded as a high risk, high reward prospect.[14]
Tennessee Titans
editFarley was drafted by the Tennessee Titans with the 22nd overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft.[15] On May 13, 2021, the Titans signed Farley to a fully guaranteed four-year, $13.945 million contract.[16] Heading into training camp, Farley was placed on the non-football injury list on July 24, 2021.[17] He passed a physical and was activated off the non-football injury list on August 2, 2021, playing in his first practice the same day.[18]
In Week 6, Farley suffered a torn ACL and was placed on season-ending injured reserve on October 19, 2021.[19][20]
Farley entered the 2022 season as a backup cornerback for the Titans. He played in nine games before suffering a herniated disk in his back in Week 10. He was placed on injured reserve on November 15, 2022.[21] On December 8, the Titans announced that Farley would miss the remainder of the season, after undergoing a microdiscectomy on his back.[22]
Farley began the 2023 season on the reserve/physically unable to perform list.[23]
On May 2, 2024, the Titans declined the fifth-year option on Farley's contract, making him a free agent after the 2024 season.[24] Farley was released on August 27, 2024.[25]
Carolina Panthers
editOn October 2, 2024, Farley was signed to the Carolina Panthers practice squad.[26] He made his debut with the Panthers on October 27 against the Denver Broncos.[27] He was signed to the active roster on November 18.[28]
Personal life
editOn August 22, 2023, Farley's home in Mooresville, North Carolina, was leveled in an explosion, killing his father Robert Farley and injuring another man.[29]
Farley holds a youth football camp in his hometown of Maiden, working to help aspiring football players.[30]
References
edit- ^ Watkins, Evan G. (December 11, 2016). "Virginia Tech bound athlete demolishes state, school records". 247Sports. Retrieved August 10, 2024.
- ^ Bitter, Andy. "Hokies add '17 commitment from athlete Caleb Farley". The Roanoke Times.
- ^ Wood, Norm. "Hokies lose promising freshman WR Caleb Farley for the season". The Virginian-Pilot.
- ^ Hale, David (October 5, 2018). "For Virginia Tech's Caleb Farley and family, football is a bandage on a wound". ESPN.com. Retrieved August 10, 2024.
- ^ Barber, Mike. "Virginia Tech's Caleb Farley more than 'a kid with potential' now". Culpeper Star-Exponent.
- ^ "Former Maiden standout Farley named First Team All-ACC for Hokies". The Observer News Enterprise.
- ^ "VT Cornerback Caleb Farley Should Be Top DB In ACC After Breakout 2019 Season". SI.com.
- ^ Wood, Norm. "Enjoying breakout season for Hokies, Farley finds comfort in making the big play". Daily Press.
- ^ Barber, Mike. "Virginia Tech's Caleb Farley to return for junior season; status for Belk Bowl undecided". Richmond Times-Dispatch.
- ^ "Top Virginia Tech CB Caleb Farley skipping 2020 season because of coronavirus, will enter 2021 NFL draft". sports.yahoo.com. Retrieved July 30, 2020.
- ^ "Caleb Farley Draft and Combine Prospect Profile". NFL.com. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
- ^ "Caleb Farley, Virginia Tech, CB, 2021 NFL Draft Scout, NCAA College Football". draftscout.com. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
- ^ Trimble, Kyle (April 12, 2021). "NFL DRAFT INJURY IMPACT: VIRGINIA TECH CB CALEB FARLEY". Cover1.net. Retrieved August 2, 2021.
- ^ Pelissero, Tom; Ian Rapoport (April 27, 2021). "Virginia Tech CB prospect Caleb Farley's stock one of biggest questions in 2021 NFL Draft". NFL.com. Retrieved August 2, 2021.
- ^ "Titans fill void at CB, select Virginia Tech standout Caleb Farley No. 22 overall". NFL.com. Retrieved April 30, 2021.
- ^ "Roundup: Titans, CB Caleb Farley agree to four-year, $13.495M rookie deal". NFL.com. May 13, 2021. Retrieved May 13, 2021.
- ^ Wyatt, Jim (July 24, 2021). "Titans Place DB Caleb Farley on Non-Football Injury List, While Placing Bud Dupree on PUP List". TennesseeTitans.com. Archived from the original on August 2, 2021. Retrieved August 2, 2021.
- ^ Wyatt, Jim (August 2, 2021). "Titans Activate CB Caleb Farley Off Non-Football Injury List, OL Ty Sambrailo and RB Jeremy McNichols Off PUP List". TennesseeTitans.com. Retrieved August 2, 2021.
- ^ Moraitis, Mike (October 19, 2021). "Report: Titans' Caleb Farley, Cam Batson out for season with torn ACLs". titanswire.usatoday.com. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
- ^ Wyatt, Jim (October 19, 2021). "Titans Place CB Caleb Farley, WR Cameron Batson on Injured Reserve". TennesseeTitans.com.
- ^ Wyatt, Jim (November 15, 2022). "Titans Promote LB Joe Schobert, DL Larrell Murchison to Team's 53-Man Roster While Placing CB Caleb Farley on Injured Reserve". TennesseeTitans.com.
- ^ Organ, Mike (December 8, 2022). "Tennessee Titans CB Caleb Farley undergoes back surgery and will miss the rest of the season: Report". The Tennessean. Retrieved June 3, 2024.
- ^ Wyatt, Jim (August 29, 2023). "Titans Trim Roster Ahead of NFL's Deadline". TennesseeTitans.com.
- ^ Morris, Jimmy (May 2, 2024). "Report: Titans decline fifth-year option on Caleb Farley". Music City Miracles. SB Nation. Retrieved June 3, 2024.
- ^ "Titans release former first-round CB Caleb Farley". NFL.com. Retrieved August 27, 2024.
- ^ Alper, Josh. "Panthers sign Caleb Farley to practice squad, Chandler Wooten to active roster". NBC Sports. Retrieved October 3, 2024.
- ^ "Caleb Farley 2024 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved November 15, 2024.
- ^ Gantt, Darin (November 18, 2024). "Caleb Farley added to roster, among other moves". Panthers.com.
- ^ Rudicel, Savannah; Memrick, Matthew; Ullmann, Jesse; Lankford, Ciara; Lomis, Connor (August 23, 2023) [August 22, 2023]. "Father of NFL player Caleb Farley killed in Mooresville home explosion". Queen City News. Charlotte, North Carolina. Retrieved August 31, 2023.
- ^ NFL's Caleb Farley holds youth football camp in Maiden NC. Hickory Daily Record. Retrieved September 1, 2024.