With The First Pick
Fansided

Reuben Foster Might be the Next Rolando McClain

By Carl Cockerham

Dec 31, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide linebacker Reuben Foster (10) during warm-ups before the 2016 CFP Semifinal against the Washington Huskies at the Georgia Dome. Alabama defeated Washington 24-7. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 31, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide linebacker Reuben Foster (10) during warm-ups before the 2016 CFP Semifinal against the Washington Huskies at the Georgia Dome. Alabama defeated Washington 24-7. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports /
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Reuben Foster looks like he can be the next great inside linebacker in the NFL. But there are also signs that he may be the next talented screwup.

Playing inside linebacker at Alabama is like having an extensive internship while still in school. You are more prepared for what you’ll do when you graduate than anyone else. C.J. Mosley was able to step in and fill the shoes of Baltimore Ravens legend Ray Lewis.

Dont’a Hightower has led the defense for the New England Patriots to two Super Bowl titles. Head coach Nick Saban is a Bill Belichick disciple with a complex, professional defensive scheme. So when Alabama linebackers go to the next level they know their concepts.

When you know what you’re doing, you can go all out and let your physical ability take over. And of course, inside linebackers from Alabama usually have plenty of that. Such is the case with Reuben Foster, which is why he’s one of the top all-around NFL prospects.

But for every Mosley and Hightower, there’s a Rolando McClain that screws everything up. He was jettisoned from the Oakland Raiders, the team that picked him No. 8 overall in 2008, for being a hot head. With the Dallas Cowboys, he went AWOL after failing his last drug test.

He actually turned himself into a valuable part of the Cowboys defense before that. Unfortunately, Foster isn’t in the NFL yet and looks more like the next McClain than anything. He showed the hot head portion when he got into an altercation with a hospital employee at the combine.

And for the other portion, it just came out Thursday that he failed his drug test at the combine. He just might have been fighting over his sample at the combine because he knew it was dirty. When you fail your drug test at the combine, that’s not a good sign.

Ask the Cowboys, who still can’t keep 2015 second-round pick Randy Gregory on the field. He’s had multiple failed drug test just like McClain has in his time in the NFL. So if you’re a team needing an inside linebacker, you might want to skip by Foster.

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