The San Francisco 49ers have signed former Penn State cornerback Tariq Castro-Fields to his rookie four-year deal. The team made him the 43rd pick (No. 221 overall) in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
"Corner from Penn State, any time you play DB at Penn State you're doing something right," general manager John Lynch said on April 30. "He's, this guy, he's got all the height, weight, speed, started a number of games at Penn State. I went back to that Pro Day, listened to the coaches speak glowingly about him and we liked that pick there."
Castro-Fields registered 33 tackles and six passes defensed through 12 game appearances as a senior in 2021, per Sports Reference. He recorded 139 tackles, 10 tackles for a loss, a sack, 25 passes defensed, three interceptions, and a forced fumble through his five collegiate seasons.
"I feel like I came from a system where I did a whole lot," Castro-Fields told reporters after being drafted when asked to assess his strengths and weaknesses. "I ran cover-3 and man. You name it, we did it, so I'm well-versed in all coverages. I can cover, my size, my speed. Of course, I can work on my eyes and all the fundamentals. The league is super fundamental-based and that is what separates people. I'm just ready to work as hard as I can and go. This is amazing."
Thanks to the NFL Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), which runs through the 2030 season, all rookie contracts are for a length of four years. First-round selections come with an option for a fifth year, which doesn't apply to any of the 49ers' nine draft selections.
The total value of Castro-Fields' four-year contract is set to be $3,815,412, per OverTheCap.com. That includes a signing bonus of $155,412 and a 2022 salary-cap figure of $743,853.
What is Castro-Fields most looking forward to as he begins his NFL journey?
"I think just to prove myself again," he responded. "We are starting at square one. I'm going to be a rookie again and I can't wait to shock the world and prove everything that I know. I can't wait to bring it to the 49ers. I have family in The Bay, so this is a dream come true. It is a perfect spot for me and I can't wait to go to work."