7/20/2020 football Edit

Farley and Waller named to Jim Thorpe Award watchlist

Tim Sullivan • HokieHaven

Editor

Tim Sullivan is the Editor of HokieHaven.com. A University of Michigan alumnus, he is a decade-plus veteran of the recruiting industry.

Watchlist season rolls along, and two Hokies will be under the microscope for the Jim Thorpe Award, granted annually to the country's top defensive back.

Caleb Farley and Jermaine Waller - two of the ACC's most impressive cornerbacks in 2019 - represent each half of an impressive returning tandem on the edge for Virginia Tech this Fall.

Jermaine Waller had a breakout year in his first as a starter. (Kyle Okita - HokieHaven.com)

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Farley was a four-star athlete from Maiden (N.C.) in the 2017 class, with the potential to contribute as a receiver or defensive back at the next level. After bouncing back and forth during his spring practice sessions as an early enrollee, he tore his ACL prior to his true freshman season, and spent that year learning defense, rather than sticking to the receiver position that the program announced for him over the Summer. While he had occasional struggles as an unexpected starter during his redshirt freshman season - the VT secondary slumped to No. 80 nationally in pass-efficiency against in an overall down year - he was exceptional in his second year at the position. Just 18 passes were completed against him all year, and he broke up 12 passes while intercepting four during the season. Farley also made 20 total tackles.

— Tim Sullivan, HokieHaven.com

Meanwhile, a big part of Farley's success in 2019 was visible largely because opponents couldn't simply avoid him: that would mean throwing at another top cornerback, with Waller putting together a strong season of his own.

He was the league's second-most effective cornerback last season, according to PFF, behind only his compatriot on the other end, Farley. He allowed just 20 receptions for 263 yards all season, and made 46 total tackles.

— Tim Sullivan, HokieHaven.com

Together, the duo was a big part of VT's improvement from the No. 80 pass-efficiency defense in 2018 to No. 27 last year. They also represent a third of the ACC's total nominees. Syracuse's Andre Cisco, Pitt's Paris Ford, Clemson's Derion Kendrick, and Hamsah Nasirildeen of Florida State are the conference's other players on the watchlist.

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