MAIDEN, N.C. — Caleb Farley said it was a little emotional to be on the field at Maiden High School on Friday.
"Man I have so many great memories of Friday night football," Farley said. "Watching so many great players from Maiden."
Farley became the greatest of them all, making it all the way to the NFL as a first-round pick in 2021. On Friday, he returned for his second-annual youth football camp, offered for free.
Over 100 kids showed up to participate in Farley's football camp.
"It means more than I could express with words," said Farley. "I was just over here emotional, just taking it all in. It's something that I would love to continue to do."
Before Farley was drafted in the first round by the Tennessee Titans, and before he starred at Virginia Tech, he was a legend for the Blue Devils.
"It was video-game-like," head coach Will Byrne said.
At Maiden, Farley scored eight touchdowns in a game -- two weeks in a row. He scored 58 touchdowns in a single season.
After everything was said and done, the two-way player put together one of the greatest careers in state history.
"If we were ever in trouble we'd call 'No. 5 go,'" Byrne said. "It wasn't really a call. Let's just run Caleb and see what he can do."
Farley returns to Maiden every chance he can, making sure to grab a cheeseburger at Don's Grill, and even attending home playoff games and spring practices.
At his camp, he's a hands-on coach, showing off the old quarterback skills and giving the kids lessons in defensive technique from an NFL cornerback.
"I hope they just come out here and have fun," Farley said. "That's what the game is about. Having fun. And that's what I want them to come out here and do."
Is Farley still having fun?
"Absolutely. I have fun. Every day is fun," Farley said. "We get paid very well to play a child's game."
Farley has had a tough first two years in the league, with a torn ACL his rookie season and a herniated disk last year. The injuries limited his playing to just 12 games.
"I'm just trying to get my body in order," Farley said, "heal properly, make sure I'm 100% and get all the way back."
This will be a big season for Farley with Tennessee.
"Every time I see somebody, they ask about Caleb, how he's doing," Byrne said. "Praying for him. Thinking about him. They hope he gets back and gets that shot to show that he can play."
And no matter what, he's giving back to his hometown.
"This community has always supported me," Farley said. "I love them for it. So they will always have my support in return."
Contact Nick Carboni at ncarboni@wcnc.com and follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.