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Early signs point to former Alabama LB Reuben Foster being the steal of the draft
By Clint Lamb
Published:
The San Francisco 49ers lost starting weakside linebacker Malcolm Smith to a shoulder injury late last week, and that’s opened the door for former Alabama LB Reuben Foster to see significant snaps with the first-team defense.
There was speculation that Ray-Ray Armstrong, a former Miami defensive back, could be inserted in the starting lineup with Smith placed on injured reserve, but that wasn’t the case on Monday. Foster is going to have to earn his keep if he wants a starting job, but the early signs have been positive.
General summary of Reuben Foster’s day, from practice through the presser: This guy is big-time. Not totally polished, just big-time.
— Tim Kawakami (@timkawakami) August 7, 2017
The 49ers selected Foster with the No. 31 pick of the 2017 NFL Draft following a career at Alabama that saw the former 5-star prospect record 223 tackles, 24 tackles for loss and 7 sacks. Prior to the draft, there were many draft pundits who compared Foster to former Ole Miss LB Patrick Willis, and it’s looking like Foster could become San Francisco’s next version of the old Rebels star.
Foster might have fallen in the draft due to injury and off the field concerns, but it’s looking more and more likely that he could be the steal of this year’s draft.
Clint helps cover the SEC West for Saturday Down South. His work can also be found on USA TODAY Sports, The 'Bama Beat podcast and The Bullpen with TonyMac and The Lamb. Previous stops include SEC Country, 247Sports and Touchdown Alabama Magazine.
