San Francisco 49ers select Penn State cornerback Tariq Castro-Fields in 2022 NFL Draft

San Francisco 49ers selected Penn State super senior cornerback Tariq Castro-Fields with the No. 221 overall pick in round six of the 2022 NFL Draft. Castro-Fields, a five-year contributor for the Nittany Lions, gives the 49ers some needed additional depth at defensive back.

The 6-foot-1, 197-pound corner notched 138 tackles (93 solo), 10 tackles for loss, three interceptions, 25 pass breakups and a forced fumble in his five-year career. Castro-Fields was named to the All-Big Ten third team in 2019, his first season as a full-time starter. The coaches and media also made him an honorable mention in 2020 and 2021.

The Penn State star wowed at the NFL Combine with a 4.38-second 40-yard dash. His time was sixth amongst the top 10 times for cornerbacks.

Tariq Castro-Fields was a four-star prospect coming out of Riverdale Baptist High in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. He was the No. 297 prospect in the nation in the 2017 class, according to the On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He chose the Nittany Lions over more than 20 other offers.

What NFL draft analysts are saying about Tariq Castro-Fields

NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein broke down what Castro-Fields can bring to the NFL in his recent scout of the defensive back’s draft profile.

The prospect analyst knocked the Penn State star for his 2021 film but noted NFL DB coaches will be eager to work with him.

“Perimeter cornerback with appealing size and traits for press-man, but confidence and consistency were missing from his 2021 tape,” Zierlein wrote. “Castro-Fields’ length, strength and athleticism are likely to be viewed as moldable features by defensive back coaches. However, he is missing the desired stickiness to the route and lacks spatial awareness and ball-hawking instincts from zone. His run support commitment is a bit disappointing relative to his size. Castro-Fields possesses the tools and versatility to operate as a backup in a variety of coverage schemes. He is a middle-round value with upside traits.”