Tariq Castro-Fields to Penn State: Nittany Lions Land 4-Star CB Prospect

An elite cornerback has the ability to transform a defense, which is why Penn State was thrilled to learn Tariq Castro-Fields gave his commitment Wednesday.

Daniel Gallen of PennLive.com reported Castro-Fields' decision to play for the Nittany Lions.

While not a fully formed player at this point in his development, Castro-Fields is one of the most exciting cornerback prospects in the 2017 class. He's a 4-star prospect who is listed as the No. 2 corner from the state of Maryland, No. 29 cornerback in the 2017 class and No. 283 overall prospect, per Scout.com.

There is work for Castro-Fields to take care of if he wants to reach his full potential, but the scouting report from Scout's Brian Dohn paints a strong picture:

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He is physical at the line of scrimmage and he drives on the ball well. He is comfortable in his backpedal, and he will be even better as he gets lower. He has very good length and can jam receivers at the line of scrimmage, but he has to get stronger to be more effective against bigger receivers.

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Castro-Fields' physical style of play helps him overcome some of the shortcomings that happen due to being only 177 pounds. He will need to add more muscle at the college level, though that shouldn't be a problem for his long 6'1" frame.

The Nittany Lions have rejoined the nation's elite ranks following an 11-3 record in 2016 and appearance in the Rose Bowl.

Head coach James Franklin found a quarterback who can play in Trace McSorley who can execute his system, but his big mission this offseason was finding more talent on defense to improve on the 25.4 points per game they allowed.

Castro-Fields is going to provide a huge boost to Penn State's secondary. Southern California picked that group apart in the Rose Bowl, allowing Trojans quarterback Sam Darnold to throw for 453 yards and five touchdowns.

If the Nittany Lions want to continue challenging Ohio State, Michigan and Wisconsin for Big Ten titles, upgrades on defense are going to be critical. Castro-Fields is a huge step in the right direction for the program.

It will be interesting to see how Penn State decides to use Castro-Fields in 2017. He could be a candidate to redshirt while adding more bulk to his frame, but he's got such great anticipation and ball skills to be ready for a role right away.

Castro-Fields' raw tools give him a tremendous ceiling at the college level. He's got the kind of in-game attitude that will be grating to opposing receivers but has such an understanding of his job to avoid making critical mistakes.

Penn State will be happy with the talent Castro-Fields adds to the defensive secondary and the swagger he brings to the program.