4 prospects who could tempt Panthers to go defense at No. 8
By Dean Jones
Caleb Farley – CB (Virginia Tech)
As stated previously, the Carolina Panthers need to give their cornerback unit a slight makeover. Their defense has a solid core from which to build a potential contender down the line and if they can make the right sort of moves in free agency and the 2021 NFL Draft, it could see them become one of the league’s best next season.
There is plenty of debate as to who is the best corner in this year’s class. Patrick Surtain has a bigger reputation and more accolades on the field. But it’s hard to deny that Caleb Farley comes with the same sort of upside.
The Virginia Tech prospect started off as a quarterback and then a wide receiver before transitioning to cornerback. This has been the making of Farley in no uncertain terms and he posses the size, range, and athleticism to be a difference-maker once he joins the pro ranks.
Farley has a lot of the attributes that Matt Rhule sought heavily during his recruitment last year. So if the Panthers decide that the right fit on offense isn’t there at No. 8 overall, this is a direction they could certainly go.
The potential is definitely there where Farley is concerned. If the top-three quarterbacks are off the board and Carolina doesn’t want to move up and for one of them, they could do far worse than taking the cornerback and giving him plenty of responsibility from the outset.