2021 NFL Draft: 4 day-three steals at linebacker

Tony Fields II, West Virginia

Just looking at the career of Tony Fields tells the story of why he has the potential to be a solid NFL player. Fields was a three-year starter at Arizona before transferring to West Virginia where his production didn’t drop off a bit. In fact, had he played in 12 games under normal circumstances, Fields would have had a career-high in tackles, likely around the 120 mark.

Fields had 375 tackles in his career, 21 for loss, nine sacks, three interceptions, and a forced fumble. Those are some great numbers, so why isn’t Fields projected much higher?

Much like KJ Britt, Fields needs to improve tackling. If he’s close, he’ll make the tackle. If there’s a bit of separation, things become a problem. In addition, Fields isn’t great against guys that are bigger than him. Adding size is a must at the next level.

The term “high motor” is one you’ll hear a lot on the night of the 2021 NFL draft, and as you can tell from the stat sheet, Fields definitely meets that name. That occasionally works against him, as he’ll miss tackles while trying to be everywhere on the field.

The good part about that is he plays every play like it’s his last and has the drive and desire to be in on every play. He’s good at rushing the quarterback and has shown that he can get even better.

Fields might not make a huge impact in year one, but he can develop into a solid starter in his first few seasons.