Darrisaw and Farley Off the Board: Hokies' First Round Review
Caleb Farley
After being forced to wait past a few early surprises, former Virginia Tech cornerback Caleb Farley fell to the Tennessee Titans with the 22nd pick in the draft.
Known for his ridiculous speed, Farley's stock was only lowered by concerns over two back surgeries in his young career. The 6'2, 207-pound product is excellent in man coverage, a favorite of the Titans, and will provide tremendous backend support in their physical defense.
Farley is still relatively new to the position, having played quarterback in high school and enrolled at Virginia Tech as a wide receiver, though his tape supplies just as much of a "wow" factor as any other defensive back in the draft.
Despite opting out of the 2020 college season, the newest member of the Titans is considered to have one of the highest supplies of natural talent in this class.
The Tennessee-bound star now joins DeAngelo Hall and Kyle Fuller as the only Hokie cornerbacks to be drafted in the first round, leaving expectations high for the speedy defender.
The Titans were expected to trot out the pairing of Janoris Jenkins and Kristian Fulton in their secondary next season, though Farley's physical tools and ballhawking instincts present an interesting dilemma for Head Coach Mike Vrabel heading into the epilogue the offseason. The Titans tied for the seventh-most interceptions last season and managed an 11-5 record, though they were knocked out of the playoffs in the first round; adding a playmaker like Farley could help elevate them to new heights in the coming seasons.
Look for Farley to introduce himself to Tennessee fans quickly— no pun intended.
Christian Darrisaw
Darrisaw fell all the way to #23 despite being projected to go 14th in Mel Kiper Jr.'s final mock draft, providing great value to a Minnesota Vikings team that previously only had one left tackle listed on their depth chart.
Checking in at 6-foot-5, 314 pounds, Darrisaw is an asset in the running and passing game and will solidify a line that was in the bottom half for sacks allowed last season.
Darrisaw was once a two-star recruit coming out of high school and is now the second highest offensive lineman to be drafted from Virginia Tech, slotting in between former #13 pick Eugene Chung and 2008's #26 pick, Duane Brown.
As a Viking, Darrisaw is going to be expected to compete with fellow blindside blocker Rashod Hill for the starting spot, though the odds on a first-round tackle earning the primary job are usually pretty high.
The former Hokie was taken the pick after his compatriot Caleb Farley, marking the fewest selections that it has taken for two Hokies to fall off the board— this is also the second time in the past four NFL drafts that a pair of Hokies have been snatched up in the first round.
Darrisaw's growth under O-line coach Vance Vice has been nothing short of astonishing, as the Upper Marlboro, Maryland native has transformed himself from an under-the-radar product to a legitimate, starting caliber professional player.
Dalvin Cook and Kirk Cousins are somewhere smiling right now.
