NY Jets: 4 boom-or-bust targets in the 2021 NFL Draft

2. NY Jets draft target: Caleb Farley, CB, Virginia Tech

It wasn’t long ago that Caleb Farley was neck-and-neck with Patrick Surtain II in the battle for CB1 in this draft class. Now, after more injury concerns have arisen, there’s a decent chance he falls out of Round 1 entirely.

Farley originally committed to Virginia Tech as a wide receiver, but tore his ACL and missed his entire freshman season. The following spring, he was moved to cornerback, and he instantly became one of the most impressive cornerbacks in the country.

Farley picked off two passes in his first career collegiate game and just one year later was named first-team All-ACC leading his team with four interceptions and leading the ACC with 16 passes defended despite missing a pair of games.

At nearly 6-foot-2, 197 pounds, Farley is a physical freak who combines incredible size with unmatched athleticism and burst. Take everything that was said about Tyson Campbell two slides ago and double it here.

However, Farley comes with major injury concerns. On top of the torn ACL he suffered in 2017, the 22-year-old suffered a back injury in 2019 that required offseason surgery. He also underwent a microdiscectomy (spinal surgery) last month and could miss training camp.

On top of that, there are a few concerns about Farley’s game. He’s only been playing the position for two years meaning that he remains unpolished when it comes to leverage and positioning.

Farley’s natural instincts and raw talent mean that he could comfortably be projected as a future star, but his durability concerns coupled with inexperience give him serious bust potential.

The ceiling is sky-high, but his low floor could push him outside the first 32 picks.