The NFL Draft Combine can be a significant showcase for those hopeful to raise their profile and, with that, their draft position in advance of the actual selection process. On the flip side, players can (and have) suffered big-time falls as a result of combine performances and, on Friday evening, word broke that a former Alabama standout might fall into that class.
In fact, linebacker Reuben Foster didn’t even make it to the interview and athletic testing portions of the process.
Bama's Reuben Foster, a potential top-10 pick, is being sent home from combine for heated argument with a hospital worker, sources tell ESPN
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 4, 2017
Reuben Foster was scheduled to do team interviews tonight and team tests Saturday; now scheduled to fly home to Tuscaloosa on Saturday.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 4, 2017
It remains to be seen as to what actually transpired with Foster and what a “heated argument with a hospital worker” entails, but this type of exposure is never a good thing. After a tremendous career in Tuscaloosa, Foster is seen by many as the best linebacker in the entire 2017 draft class, and with that, he has a lot to lose. It should be noted, though, that this is only a solitary report at this point without confirmation from the NFL itself.
All one NFL spokesman would say was that Reuben Foster was being sent home for "personal reasons" and did not want to comment any further.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 4, 2017
It is entirely possible that Reuben Foster will wind up as a top-15 draft pick, just in the way that he was already projected before this reported issue. Still, it can’t be seen as ideal that he failed to navigate the waters in Indianapolis without incident, and if nothing else, red flags are now up for one of the more talented players in the draft.
