Reuben Foster

Reuben Foster (born April 4, 1994) is an American football linebacker for the Houston Roughnecks of the United Football League (UFL).

In July 2011, Foster verbally committed to Alabama, citing the NFL pedigree of head coach Nick Saban and defensive coordinator Kirby Smart as the decisive factor.

However, Foster was not firm on his commitment, so other schools continued to recruit him.

After transferring to Auburn High School prior to his senior year, Foster decided to de-commit from Alabama, and switched to Auburn University.

"At the end of the day, I feel like Auburn University is the place for me and my family. I am 100 percent confident with my final decision", said Foster.

He went so far to have the Auburn University emblem tattooed on his right arm.

In February 2012, Troup County head coach Charles Flowers was dismissed, allegedly due to a rumor that he paid a football player to move from Lanett, Alabama, to West Point, Georgia, in order to play for Troup.

Immediately afterwards, Foster announced his intention to transfer to another high school for his senior season.

Foster eventually moved back to Alabama and enrolled at Auburn High School in April 2012, where he became teammates with Rashaan Evans.

Along with the transfer came a switch in commitment from Alabama to Auburn, which triggered an NCAA investigation.

In his senior year at Auburn High, Foster recorded 80 tackles (70 solo) and two sacks, helping the Tigers advance to the quarterfinals of the Class 6A playoffs.

Auburn High School lost 7–8 in a grueling, defensive battle to rival Opelika High School at Duck Samford Stadium.

Chris Yeager, who coached the Alabama All-Stars in the 2012 Alabama-Mississippi Classic, compared Foster to Cornelius Bennett.

Since his sophomore year, Foster was recruited by a number of Southeastern Conference schools.

Foster's commitment to the Tigers, however, only lasted until December 2012, when Auburn dismissed head coach Gene Chizik, and assistant coach Trooper Taylor, to whom Foster had developed a personal relationship.

Foster went through January looking at different schools, including Alabama, Auburn, South Carolina, Georgia, Washington, Miami (FL), and LSU, with Georgia believed to be the favorite.

On National Signing Day however, Foster re-committed to Alabama.

Foster debuted as a true freshman for Alabama in the season-opener against Virginia Tech, registering one assisted tackle.

He appeared in a total of nine games over the season, registering 12 tackles (four solo), including one tackle for a loss of yardage.

A consensus All-American in high school, Foster was regarded as the best linebacker prospect of his class before committing to Alabama, where he played from 2013 to 2016.

In his final season there he was awarded the Butkus Award, which is given to the nation's best linebacker.

Foster participated in the 2013 Under Armour All-America Game, finishing with six tackles and 2.5 for loss, earning Defensive MVP honors.

Everything you've heard about Reuben Foster, it's all true – he's big, fast, strong, explosive and finishes off his tackles as good as any player I've ever seen in this business.

He's the complete package at linebacker.

Regarded as a four-star recruit by ESPN, Foster was listed as the top inside linebacker of his class.

Competing to fill the vacancy at inside linebacker left by Butkus Award winner C. J. Mosley, Foster was injured during spring practice on April 5, 2014.

The starting linebacker job eventually went to Reggie Ragland, but Foster still played in 11 games and had the third-most special teams tackles on the team with eight.

He made his first career start at the middle linebacker position against West Virginia, compiling seven total tackles with two solo stops and a tackle for loss (−2 yards).

Foster finished his sophomore season with 22 tackles including 11 solo stops, two tackles for loss (−5 yards) and one sack (−3 yards, against Texas A&M).

In his junior year, Foster took over as starting inside linebacker from Trey DePriest, and finished second on the team with 73 total tackles, eight for a loss (−24 yards), on the season.

He also registered two sacks (−7 yards), three quarterback hurries, and nine pass breakups.

He was then drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft.

During his professional career, Foster has been involved with a number of legal issues and other controversies, including multiple arrests, which led to his release from the 49ers in just his second season.

He was claimed off waivers by the Washington Redskins shortly after, a move that was met with criticism.

A native of Roanoke, Alabama, Foster moved across the border to LaGrange, Georgia, after sixth grade.

He attended Troup County High School, where he played high school football and was teammates with Quan Bray and J. C. Copeland.

During his freshman year in a game against Columbus (GA) Carver, Foster had a heralded performance against blue chip running back Isaiah Crowell.

"That was my coming out party. That's when they started calling me 'freakish freshman'", said Foster.

He completed his freshman season with 110 tackles, and added 112 as a sophomore.

Foster finished his junior season at Troup County High School with 185 tackles, including 34 tackles for loss and 18 sacks.