Penn State football: 5 most underrated Nittany Lions in program history

Chafie Fields didn’t get the spotlight he earned while at Penn State.

The 1990s were great to the Nittany Lions. Penn State collected winning seasons in all 10 years, including five ten-win seasons and one undefeated season. Some of Penn State’s greatest and more well-known players come from this era of Nittany Lion Football. And during the ’90s, Penn State saw a lot of talent at wide receiver, seeing Joe Jurevicius and Bobby Engram pass through State College during this time.

But one name that deserves more praise is that of Chafie Fields. Now Fields did not start his college career as a wide receiver, being listed as a running back his freshman year. Fields only touched the ball 32 times that year but averaged just under five yards a carry and scored three touchdowns. Fields would switch to wide receiver his sophomore year but still provided the Penn State offense in more than just the passing game.

Fields was a playmaker and kept opposing defenses on their toes whenever he went into motion. Fields would finish his career with 426 rushing yards and six touchdowns on just 50 rush attempts. And through the air, Fields totaled 1,437 yards and eight touchdowns on 88 receptions, averaging over 16 yards any time he caught the ball. Fields is just on the outside of some of the top 10 in Penn State’s receiving record books but maybe a full year as a freshman would’ve pushed him over the edge.

Fields was an important player for the Nittany Lions in the late ’90s and is one of the most underrated players to ever wear the Penn State uniform.