Virginia Tech Hokies defensive back Caleb Farley Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

Virginia Tech CB Caleb Farley opts out of college football season

By Zac Wassink | Last updated 7/29/20

Virginia Tech cornerback Caleb Farley has elected to skip any version of a college football season held amid the coronavirus pandemic so he can prepare for the 2021 NFL Draft.

ESPN's Adam Schefter tweeted the news and added the junior is the first college player to opt out of participating during the uncontrolled virus outbreak.

Virginia Tech CB Caleb Farley, a projected first-round pick, is the first college player to opt out of the coming season, a source tells ESPN. Farley will spend the year training for the NFL draft. He has seen NFL players opt out and is uncomfortable with playing this year.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 29, 2020

Farley announced his decision via a video he shared with ESPN.

Here is former Virginia Tech CB Caleb Farley’a announcement that he is opting out of the college football season to train and turn pro, sent to ESPN: pic.twitter.com/5j4FmQvGKy
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 29, 2020

Farley tallied six interceptions across his first two seasons with Virginia Tech, and he grabbed four of those during an impressive 2019 campaign that helped him climb up NFL mock drafts.

As Bryan Manning of Sports Illustrated wrote, Farley was viewed as a favorite to win the Jim Thorpe Award, given to the best defensive back in the country. He was also ranked No. 16 on the 247Sports' top 50 players preseason list.

Handfuls of NFL players have already chosen to skip the 2020 campaign due to coronavirus-related concerns.

Zac Wassink is a football and futbol aficionado who is a PFWA member and is probably yelling about Tottenham Hotspur at the moment. Erik Lamela and Eli Manning apologist. Chanted for Matt Harvey to start the ninth inning of Game 5 of the 2015 World Series at Citi Field. Whoops. You can find him on Twitter at @ZacWassink.

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