BLACKSBURG – Two of Tech's defensive stalwarts, redshirt junior DB Caleb Farley and senior LB Rayshard Ashby have been included on Athlon Sports' preseason All-America team, the publication announced this week.
Ashby (5-10, 237) was named ACC Linebacker of the Week five times in 2019. The Chesterfield, Virginia native was the only defensive player in the league to win that many ACC POW honors in 2019. Ashby was a second-team All-ACC selection and finished third in the voting for ACC Defensive Player of the Year. Ashby led the league with 120 total tackles and ranked third in the ACC with 17.0 tackles for loss. Ashby led a VT defense that helped the Hokies become the first ACC team to post back-to-back shutouts against Power Five foes for the first time since 1978 and holding Georgia Tech and Pitt scoreless in consecutive outings.
Farley (6-2, 207) blossomed into one of the ACC's top cornerbacks in just his second season playing that position after serving as a high school quarterback. A first-team All-ACC pick in 2019, he led the ACC with 16 passes defensed and was amongst the nation's best averaging 1.5 passes defensed per game. He was tied for second in the ACC with four INTs and registered a 17-yard INT return TD in a 45-0 shutout of Georgia Tech (11/16). The Hickory, N.C. native posted a career-high four passes defensed in a 43-41 six-OT win vs. North Carolina (10/19).
The entire Athlon All-America teams can be found here.
Hokies on preseason Watch Lists in 2020:
DB Caleb Farley
•Bednarik Award
•Jim Thorpe Award
•Nagurski Award
LB Rayshard Ashby
•Bednarik Award
•Nagurski Award
•Butkus Award
DB Jermaine Waller
•Jim Thorpe Award
OL Christian Darrisaw
•Outland Trophy
P Oscar Bradburn
•Ray Guy Award
K Brian Johnson
•Lou Groza Award
Phil Steele's All-ACC Team included 13 Hokies; Ashby, Farley, Darrisaw, Oscar Bradburn, Tayvion Robinson, Lecitus Smith, Jermaine Waller, Jarrod Hewitt, Tré Turner, Justus Reed, Dax Hollifield, Divine Deablo and Brian Johnson.
Athlon Sports All-America Teams included: Ashby, Farley (both third team defense).