Philadelphia Eagles: 3 cornerbacks worth snagging in the second round
By David Esser
Caleb Farley, Virginia Tech
A player who was all but guaranteed to be a first-round pick heading into this year’s draft process, Caleb Farley unfortunately had to undergo minor surgery on his back due to a disc injury. While the surgery isn’t supposed to be majorly invasive, anything that involves the spine is enough to scare off most teams.
Prior to his surgery, plenty of scouts had Farley ranked at the top alongside Horn and Surtain II when it came to naming a “CB1” during this year’s class. Now, there’s a likely chance that Farley slips all the way to the second round.
If Farley does in fact fall out of the first, and he’s available when the Philadelphia Eagles are on the board at 37, they should jump at the opportunity to draft him.
While some Philly fans still might have PTSD in regards to drafting an injured corner in the second round (Sidney Jones!), Farley has so much upside to him that it would be a borderline malpractice to pass on him. A college wide receiver turned cornerback at Virginia Tech, Farley has all the physical traits you could possible dream of, and the inherent knowledge of routes to help him mirror opposing wideouts.
Farley’s rehab shouldn’t keep him out for more than a few weeks, and the Eagles timeline isn’t one that would require him to rush back and play. It’s a risk that Howie Roseman should happily take.