Reuben Foster has been through a few issues dating back to his time spent as the star linebacker for the Alabama Crimson Tide. He was somehow connected to a shooting outside of an Alabama nightclub, he then went to the NFL combine and was kicked out reportedly due to an incident with a hospital worker. The recent issue involving Foster comes just about one week before the 2017 NFL Draft.
Foster, a projected top 10 pick and touted as the top inside linebacker in the 2017 NFL Draft class, has failed a drug test during his short time at the 2017 NFL Draft Combine. It’s just another part of the complicated Reuben Foster story.
Reuben Foster talked to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network about his failed test and why he possibly failed.
Last month, Foster was notified that his urine sample obtained in Indianapolis during the combine was reported as dilute. Based on the provisions of the NFL’s policy and program for substances of abuse, “this will be treated like a positive test.”
In discussing his trying few months, Foster disclosed the test results to NFL.com because, he says, “This is something that’s going to get out. I don’t make excuses. I’m a real dude. I try to be a good person. … I just hope the coaches understand and that’s all I can hope and pray for.” Foster has already been on the phone talking with teams telling them himself.
As for why the test came back dilute, Foster explained in detail. He said he was sick before the combine. He was throwing up, had diarrhea, couldn’t keep anything down and was cramping. One adviser offered to have a doctor put him on IVs to hydrate, but he didn’t want that. He saw a doctor, got some medication and started hydrating himself.
Foster believes it was food poisoning.
“I couldn’t eat much, but I had to drink water and Gatorade,” said Foster, who began the process as the consensus top linebacker based on his game tape and measurables. “Then a few coaches said something about me being too light. And I’m a coach-pleaser. I don’t care what everybody thinks, but I care what coaches think. So I drank and ate as much as I could without throwing up. Then I went in there, drinking and drinking water, trying to flush out my system from whatever was making me sick and trying to keep my weight up and took the test.”
The result was the diluted test, Foster says.
And more stress, along with questions about his draft stock. Foster knows this will likely negatively affect where he’s selected.
“If it’s first round, second round, whoever takes me will get a good football player and an All-Pro,” Foster said. “I hope I go on Thursday, but I can’t control that.”
Foster, who weighed 229 pounds at 6-foot, knows he’ll be in the NFL’s drug program. Periodic and unannounced tests will start when he signs an NFL contract.
“Put me in the program,” he said. “Test me.”
