NFL Draft 2017: Reuben Foster fails drug test
By Jason Parker
With the NFL Draft just a week away, former Alabama linebacker Reuben Foster is answering why he failed a drug test at last month’s scouting combine.
In just seven days, over 250 college football athletes will get to become pro football players when they hear their name called during the 2017 NFL Draft in Philadelphia. In the case of former Alabama linebacker Reuben Foster, news coming out Thursday could have a role in him having to wait a little longer for his time to shine.
Foster told NFL.com during a phone call Thursday that he had a positive drug test during the NFL scouting combine last month in Indianapolis:
"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.”"
Foster went on to say that the diluted test was a result of him being sick before heading to the combine, possibly due to food poisoning. The Butkus Award winner last season said he couldn’t keep much food down and was drinking water and Gatorade to keep his weight up ahead of meetings with coaches and team executives.
It’s the latest in a series of issued for the All-American since his college career ended with a title game loss to Clemson on January 9. Foster had surgery to repair a partially torn rotator cuff after the season. The injury is reportedly on schedule to recover on time, though some reports suggest he may need another procedure.
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At the same time, Foster is being open and calling teams ahead of the NFL Draft to tell them about the result himself, saying he knows he will now be in the league’s drug program and will get periodically tested.
Some teams could freak and he could drop from mid-first round projections to being a day two pick – but give kudos for him being a man and owning up to things. That’s something that should give him credit in the eyes of several teams.