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Tariq Castro-Fields NFL Draft Profile
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Tariq Castro-Fields Scouting ReportTariq has decent size at the corner position, but he has exceptional length. He can put his length to disruptive use at the line of scrimmage. He can get his long levers on the ball to make a play, regardless of his positioning relative to his opponent. Castro-Fields high school track background, he is up to the task on covering speedy receivers. While his speed and length allow him to thrive in man coverage, Castro-Fields has experience in zone as well. Combined with playing outside or in the slot, this gives him some valuable versatility as he heads to the NFL Draft. Tariq plays the game with physicality. This is evident in both coverages and against the run. He’s physical in coverage at the line of scrimmage and the catch point. Against the run, he shows fearlessness to crash into the box and overcome blockers to fight to the ball. This physicality could help him carve out an early role on special teams, in the same manner as his first season with Penn State. |
Areas for ImprovementTariq physicality can lead to grabbing at the top of the route. He has impressive speed and athleticism, there are times when he gives up early yardage in press-man coverage. He can be wrong-footed by releases at the line of scrimmage. While he often has the speed to recover, Castro-Fields won’t have the luxury of allowing that room at the next level. It is also reported that he battled injury in 2019. While Castro-Fields has returned to full health in 2021, those questions remain and could present a red flag against his NFL Draft stock. |
Tariq Castro-Fields Career at Penn StateCastro-Fields earned early playing time for the Nittany Lions. As a true freshman in 2017, he took defense and special teams snaps in all 12 games. Additionally, he proved his ball skills with an interception against Georgia State and 3 pass breakups against Michigan State. He had a breakout campaign as a junior. He started all 12 games, leading the team with 8 pass breakups and 2 interceptions. Against Buffalo, he tallied a career-high 8 tackles, matching that performance against Michigan and Indiana. As a result of his playmaking ability, the Penn State cornerback earned third-team All-Big Ten recognition. Castro-Fields was a highly touted NFL Draft prospect heading into his senior season. However, the disruption of the college football season threatened to derail his journey to the next level. When the season finally got underway in October, the Penn State cornerback broke through the 100-tackle mark for his career. |
Tariq Castro-Fields NFL Draft Player ProfileUnfortunately, his season was even more short-lived than expected. Castro-Fields played just three games before an undisclosed injury ended his year. Reports suggested that he’d been battling through injury in his junior season too. Despite the injury, he was faced with the decision of declaring for the NFL Draft or returning to Penn State for a fifth year. “I’m blessed with the opportunity to be able to come back,” Castro-Fields told reporters in March. “I want to be a leader and improve my game even more. You’ve got to be able to play a full season and show what I can do. I have so much more in the tank, and I haven’t been able to show it yet. I’m excited for this year.” Castro-Fields has put an entire season of tape together in his last year with the Nittany Lions. Although Penn State’s campaign has unraveled following a winning start, their cornerback has had some highlight games. He logged 2 pass breakups against Indiana, 6 tackles against Illinois, and helped keep Ohio State’s trio of wide receivers under 100 yards each, a rare feat in the 2021 college football season. An invite to the Senior Bowl alongside several of his teammates in the secondary will give Castro-Fields a chance to enhance his 2022 NFL Draft stock further. At present, all three of Pro Football Network’s Draft Analysts have a draftable grade on the Penn State cornerback. |
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