Jeffery Farrar
Position: WR
Hometown (School): Upland, CA (Upland)
Height/Weight: 6'0" 194 lbs
Committed to Virginia: 08/07/13
Lead Recruiter: Larry Lewis
The Hoos do not often recruit players from out west. Over the years, the Hoos have had a handful of players from Texas, but that's about as far west as they've gotten. Farrar is from California. He isn't some under-the-radar recruit who was missed by the schools out there. Farrar has offers from most of the Pac-12 as well as the WAC, Mountain West and even Big 12 schools. But he chose the Hoos.
And aren't we happy? Farrar is a 4-star recruit from ESPN, as well as 3-stars by Rivals and Scout. He's being recruited as an Athlete who could play either WR or DB. (Scout lists him as a S, while ESPN and Rivals list him as an ATH.) It seems the Hoos are leaning towards him playing DB (with CB being the top choice), but he could truly end up anywhere.
Here is Farrar's junior year highlight video:
Most of these highlights are of Farrar playing defense. He's a big CB, and big CBs are all the rage right now in both the NFL and college football. With an aggressive defensive coordinator like Jon Tenuta, big CBs allow more freedom with blitzes. A big CB can play press coverage and knock a WR off his timing right off the snap. Once that happens, it is difficult for a QB to throw a hot route, because the WR may not be there. He has great ball skills, and obviously has tremendous ability with the ball in his hands. Enough that he could even be a kick returner for the Hoos.
Here is a highlight video of Farrar in 7on7 drills at a summer camp after his junior year:
Again, he shows great ball skills, catching the ball away from his body. He's a big guy, but the Hoos are pretty well stacked at WR, and Farrar wouldn't really stand out as a big WR in a group that includes 6'3" Kyle Dockins, 6'3" Keeon Johnson and 6'1" Adrian Gamble. It's 7on7 drills, so it's not perfect, but Farrar appears to be always open, despite not having outstanding speed. He's a mid-4.5 guy, which actually plays better as a WR than as a CB. As a CB, Farrar could have some trouble with smaller, quicker WRs. His lack of top-end speed could cause problems covering them downfield. As a CB, Farrar would be best in a zone scheme which isn't an ideal match for the Hoos defense these days.
Wherever he ends up, Farrar is going to be a player. He's too smart, too athletic and too talented to not succeed. He is a guy who will likely be on the field as a true freshman, even if that is mostly on special teams. For what it's worth, Farrar is listed by the Hoos as a CB.
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