5 biggest NFL draft busts in Virginia Tech football history

Virginia Tech football hasn't produced many first-round NFL draft picks, but most of the very highly drafted players have panned out in the league. These later first-round selections, however, haven't worked out as well and are the biggest draft busts.

Tennessee Titans cornerback Caleb Farley (3) drops back in coverage during the first quarter of a / George Walker IV / USA TODAY NETWORK

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No. 22 overall. 35. . Caleb Farley, CB. 2. player. Caleb Farley. . 2021. Caleb Farley, CB

If it wasn’t for a nagging back injury, Farley may have been a top 10 pick and the top cornerback selected, ahead of Jaycee Horn and Patrick Surtain II who went No. 8 and No. 9 overall respectively. However, the health concerns dropped Farley to the early 20s where Tennessee grabbed him, but he should have fallen further.

Farley was just never healthy in his two-year NFL career. In Week 6 of his rookie year, he tore his ACL and missed the rest of the season. Then, he returned for the 2022 season only to herniate a disk in his back which forced him onto season-ending IR once again.

If Farley was ever healthy, he may have been an effective NFL player, but considering Tennessee knew the risks of selecting him in the first round, the franchise deserves plenty of blame for the selection. However, if the Titans hadn’t gambled on Farley, he still wouldn’t have escaped the first round.

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