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Penn State’s defense got a huge boost on Saturday evening as senior Tariq Castro-Fields announced on Twitter that he will be returning for his fifth season in Happy Valley.
Where the heart is willing, it will find a thousand ways. A firm believer in everything having its season. All in, See you inna Fall.. pic.twitter.com/jPXwoo2L1q
— Tariq Castro-Fields (@ayeewonton) January 3, 2021
Castro-Fields returned last season hoping to boost his NFL draft stock. Some health speed bumps were hit along the way, as Castro-Fields only played in three games this season, with his last appearance coming against Maryland.
It goes without saying, but the return of Castro-Fields really strengthens the Penn State secondary. The key word here is “secondary” because right now, the Nittany Lions are returning their top four cornerbacks — Castro-Fields, Joey Porter Jr., Keaton Ellis, and Marquis Wilson — while they also landed South Carolina starting cornerback John Dixon, who should factor into the rotation as well. Because of this level of depth at cornerback, it wouldn’t be surprising to see one of those corners make the move to safety, where more playing time might be available.
Regardless of how corner shakes out, you can be sure that Castro-Fields will be a starter in 2021, and perhaps just as importantly, a strong voice on the team as a likely captain.