SANTA CLARA — Reuben Foster, who many believe is the second best player in this NFL draft, is now a San Francisco 49er.
The 49ers traded pick No. 34 and No. 111 to the Seattle Seahawks for pick No. 31, where they took the Alabama linebacker.
Foster joins Solomon Thomas as John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan’s first-ever draft picks. There are question marks about Foster — his shoulder, his diluted drug test and an incident with a medical worker at the NFL combine that sent him home. But the 49ers decided those risks were worth it to pair with NaVorro Bowman in the middle of a retooled defense.
In my final mock draft, I had the 49ers trading back up for Foster.
With all the ammo the 49ers collected in a trade down, Shanahan and Lynch feel aggressive enough to add who many believe is the second best overall player in this draft. Foster has question marks (combine incident, diluted drug test) but those concerns are coupled with a fiery attitude desperately needed in the locker room. He can stop the run and the pass within a 15-yard radius, and if he develops properly, we could be looking at Patrick Willis and NaVorro Bowman part II.
Here’s NFL.com’s scouting report on Foster.
Alpha mentality with ferocious hitting style that puts offensive skill positions on alert. Outstanding athlete with springy, reactive feet. Lost 15 pounds in off-season, which gave him more speed and explosiveness. Loose hips and long stride allows him to open and chase immediately. Has elite sideline-to-sideline range. Tough as nails. Brings swagger to a linebacking corps. Never passive and always means it. Willing to take his shots downhill and into gaps. Lands strong warning blows on climbing guards early in the game. Coverage ability is an asset. Logged 10 passes defensed in 2015. Can carry long speed against running backs on wheel routes and nine routes. Has worked to improve tackling technique, which has yielded higher success rate of finishes.
We’ll have much more on Foster soon.