‘He’s one of the most talented guys I’ve ever seen.’ Clemson senior ready to emerge
Mark Fields has one final chance to put it all together.
The senior cornerback, who arrived at Clemson as one of the top-rated defensive backs in the country, has struggled with consistency throughout his college career.
Fields flirted with the idea of entering the NFL draft after an up-and-down junior season but opted to return to school for a final chance to live up to the hype.
“For him, it’s his last hoorah,” Tigers cornerbacks coach Mike Reed said. “He’s got to make it happen this year. He’s got aspirations of playing on the next level, but he’s got to understand this is his audition … He’s got to make it happen.”
Fields appeared to be on his way to having a big junior season before an injury sidelined him for much of the year.
Fields started four of Clemson’s first seven games and seemed to have earned a starting job for the season before missing six consecutive games with a foot injury.
He returned for the Sugar Bowl against Alabama but did not record any stats.
“I need consistency,” Reed said. “Don’t show me one day you’re this type of player and the next day somebody else is in your body. I want to see consistency. That means day in and day out you’re making plays on the ball.”
Fields finished with 20 tackles and two pass breakups in eight games last season after making 13 tackles with three pass breakups and an interception in 2016.
For his career, he has recorded 36 tackles, five tackles for loss, seven pass breakups and an interception.
“Talent-wise, he’s one of the most talented guys I’ve ever seen as far as a combination of speed, quickness, physicality. He has it. He’s just got to stay healthy,” Reed said.
Fields is battling with junior Trayvon Mullen and sophomore A.J. Terrell for two starting cornerback spots.
Mullen is the favorite to land one of the starting spots, and Fields and Terrell will battle it out during fall camp for the other. Reed explained how he will determine who starts each game.
“The consistency and their play determines how much they’re going to see the field,” Reed said. “Trayvon has probably separated himself from a leadership aspect. I like the man that he’s become as far as his work ethic, leadership skills. He’s holding guys accountable. He’s making sure that the younger kids are working just as hard in the classroom as they are on the field.”
But don’t count out Fields, who when healthy and playing with the right mindset can be a difference-maker.
“Sometimes guys resort back to some bad habits, things that they got away with on the high school level. You can’t get away with it on the college level,” Reed said. “These guys are upping their game and their work ethic and their study habits. A lot of times guys feel like you can rest at times, and you can’t. You’ve always got to keep grinding.”
This story was originally published July 31, 2018 at 10:58 AM.