Potential Dallas Cowboys draft target will have back surgery, leaving pick uncertain
One of the top options for the Dallas Cowboys with the 10th overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft may be taking himself out of contention.
Virginia Tech cornerback Caleb Farley, the top-rated player at his position, who was recently mocked to the Cowboys by the Star-Telegram, is having back surgery on Tuesday, his agent Drew Rosenhaus told ESPN.
Farley will have a microdiscectomy performed by noted-specialist Dr. Robert Watkins and will not participate in the Virginia Tech pro day on Friday.
According to spine-health.com, a microdiscectomy is a minimally invasive surgery and is typically performed for a herniated disc. It relieves the pressure on a spinal nerve root by removing the material causing the pain.
Farley is expected to be ready by the start of training camps in late July.
The big question is how it impacts Farley’s draft status, especially since he opted out of the 2020 season due to COVID-19 concerns.
Farley had 56 tackles, six interceptions and 19 passes defensed in 23 games for the Hokies over the 2018-19 seasons and has been regarded as the top cornerback prospect in the draft.
The situation now could cause Alabama’s Patrick Surtain II or South Carolina Jaycee Horn to vault ahead of him on most draft boards, if not dropping him out of the first round entirely.
It is something that bears watching for the Cowboys, who will most certainly take a cornerback in the first two rounds of the upcoming draft.
The 10th pick is the likely target, depending on who is available.
Surtain II is worthy of that pick. Horn is moving up the draft boards but is also considered a trade-down option in the first round.
Farley’s status could also put Northwestern offensive tackle Rashawn Slater and Florida tight end Kyle Pitts in play at 10, especially if a cornerback-hungry team picks Surtain II earlier.
The Cowboys are familiar with the procedure that Farley is about to have. Former quarterback Tony Romo had a microdiscectomy late in the 2013 season. He returned with an MVP-caliber campaign in 2014, leading the Cowboys to the NFC East with a 12-4 record and a win the wild-card round of the playoffs.
This story was originally published March 22, 2021 at 4:45 PM.
