NFL Draft Profile: Tariq Castro-Fields, Cornerback, Penn State Nittany Lions
#5
Pos: CB
Ht: 6005
Wt: 197
Hand: 0868
Arm: 3068
Wing: 7600
40: 4.38
DOB: 1/14/99
Eligible: 2022
Upper Marlboro, MD
Riverdale Baptist School
Tariq Castro-Fields
Penn State Nittany Lions
Pros:
Borowsky: The traits are all there with Castro-Fields. He is 6’0'' tall and has 4.4 speed. Those are two things almost every team covets in an outside cornerback. In coverage, Castro-Fields does a great job of mirroring wideouts. He is sticky in coverage and gives up very little room. Castro-Fields is fantastic in press-man coverage, as he can use his length to disrupt receivers and take them off their spot. His length allows him to take chances and play an aggressive style in coverage. In zone coverage, Castro-Fields can cover a lot of ground. He has very long strides. Castro-Fields is also able to come downfield fast and is a willing tackler. He doesn’t shy away from ball carriers and uses his technique to wrap up players and bring them to the ground.
Cons:
Borowsky: In coverage, Castro-Fields is very grabby. He relies too much at times on college officials being more lenient on pass interference. A lot of the time, he is in good coverage, and it isn’t necessary, but if he doesn’t stop, he’ll be called for a lot of penalties in the NFL. Castro-Fields will play a little lazy and flat-footed at times, which causes him to grab wideouts. In zone coverage, Castro-Fields will look lost at times. He is out of position way too often. He tries to overcompensate and do too much in zone, rather than just doing his job.
Summary:
Borowsky: It is going to be hard for teams to pass on Castro-Fields measurables. He may be on the older side, but there is still a lot of upside there. Similar to a lot of Penn State players, he is an elite athlete. Pair that with his length and overall size, and there is a chance that his best football is ahead of him in the NFL. On the field, his tape is really good, outside of his tendency to grab wideouts. If he can correct that and trust his technique, then Castro-Fields will be a big-time riser. He can play any cornerback spot and will be a special team contributor early on. He projects as a developmental cornerback who has the ceiling to be a quality starter in the NFL.
Background:
Castro-Fields was born on January 14th, 1999, in Alexandria, Virginia. He is the son of Erlinda Roberts and is majoring in sociology. He played high school football at Riverdale Baptist, where he was a captain as a senior. In addition to football, Castro-Fields was a track star. He lettered in track & field three years and had the fastest 4x400 time in Maryland’s indoor track season, his sophomore year. Castro-Fields was the number five player in Maryland coming out and chose Penn State over Alabama, Michigan State, and Virginia Tech. He played a lot as a freshman on special teams and, after playing a lot as a sophomore, became a full-time starter as a junior. In terms of leadership, Castro-Fields is a vocal leader for a young defensive back group. Castro-Fields played through an undisclosed injury he suffered midway during his 2019 season. He also missed the final nine games of the 2020 season with another undisclosed injury.
One-Liners
Borowsky: Castro-Fields is a versatile cornerback, with all the traits teams are looking for in a starting cornerback, he just needs to be more disciplined with his hands in coverage.
Grades
Current Player Value/Potential Player Value
Borowsky: 7.4 / 8.3
