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Top NFL prospect — and former Virginia Tech cornerback Caleb Farley will not participate in the school’s pro day on Friday.
The reason, according to Farley’s agent Drew Rosenhaus, is the former Hokie is having a back procedure.
Uh oh.
It is an outpatient procedure and Caleb Farley will be back in Blacksburg and available to meet with teams on Friday. Rosenhaus said Farley will be cleared for full activities before the start of training camp. https://t.co/yniujqnFjl
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 22, 2021
Anytime you hear of a young athlete suffering a back injury, it doesn’t sound positive. Remember, Farley missed the final two games of the 2019 season due to back spasms. He had an offseason surgery that winter, which was rumored to be related to his back.
But, according to Rosenhaus, Farley’s surgery this week is an outpatient procedure and he will be cleared for full actitivites at training camp this summer. Farley will also be in Blacksburg to meet with teams on Friday during Virginia Tech’s pro day.
The NFL picks apart these young prospects. I am sure Farley will have to answer plenty of questions between now and April 29 about his back. Team doctors will want to see detailed reports of his back before feeling comfortable enough to select Farley high in the first round.
Remember, the 6-foot-2 cornerback is among the top 10 players in this upcoming 2021 NFL draft.
The procedure Farley is undergoing is called a microdisectomy. According to spine-health.com, this is the medical definition:
A microdiscectomy is generally considered the gold standard for removing the herniated portion of a disc that is pressing on a nerve, as the procedure has a long history and many spine surgeons have extensive expertise in this approach. While technically an open surgery, a microdiscectomy uses minimally invasive techniques and can be done with a relatively small incision and minimal tissue damage or disruption.
While this does sound relatively minor, anytime your back or spine is involved it is a concern. Here’s hoping Farley has a successful procedure this week and his draft stock is unaffected.
I truly believe if this were major, his agent would make sure this did not get out. The fact that Rosenhause publicly addressed the issue now, means they are confident Farley is going to be just fine.
Farley came to Virginia Tech as a part of the 2017 class from Maiden High in Maiden, N.C. A star quarterback in high school, Farley was slated to play wide receiver as a true freshman in 2017 until an ACL injury derailed those plans.
A healthy Farley moved to cornerback in 2018 and became a star. Former Virginia Tech defensive coordinator Bud Foster believed in Farley’s athletic ability and football IQ and he had a strong debut campaign that season.
Farley burst onto the scene with a sack and two interceptions in Virginia Tech’s season-opening win over Florida State in his first career game.
In 2019, he would become the top corner in the ACC and one of the best in the nation. He opted out of the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic and begin preparations for the NFL draft.
He finished his time in Blacksburg appearing in 24 games, making 23 starts, recording 56 tackles, 25 passes defended, 19 pass breakups, six interceptions and one sack.
We all wish Caleb a speedy recovery.