5 cornerbacks on Steelers draft radar after cutting Steven Nelson
By Tommy Jaggi
Caleb Farley
This one sort of seems like a pipe dream to me, but there are certainly reasons why the Steelers would be interested in drafting a top-notch cornerback like Caleb Farley. While Pittsburgh expressed that they wanted players who didn’t opt-out in 2020, perhaps they would be able to make an exception for Farley if he somehow slipped in the NFL Draft.
The positives, however, drastically outweigh the negatives, and Mike Tomlin’s relationship with the Virginia Tech coaching staff could be enough to persuade him. Farley is listed at 6’2” and 207 pounds, but has remarkable athletic traits that jump out on the field every time you watch him. He recorded 4 interceptions, 12 pass defenses, and a defensive touchdown in 2019 before electing to forego the 2020 season and declare for the NFL Draft.
While there is concern that Farley will be a year removed from football, there is no denying that he is a legitimate first-round prospect in this year’s draft, and he’s player who shouldn’t even be on the board at this point. Still, we all know Pittsburgh’s infatuation with Virginia Tech players and if other teams elect to go with cornerbacks who played in 2020, Farley would be too good to pass up. Even without playing last year, he could slide into Nelson’s old role as the starting right cornerback in 2021.