Inside linebacker Reuben Foster of Alabama, a consensus first-round projection in the 2017 NFL Draft, reportedly was sent home from the NFL Scouting Combine on Friday night after what was described as a “heated argument” with a hospital worker.
Details were scarce and on Saturday Foster claimed his innocence in an Instagram video that was later taken down.
“Y’all, stop asking me what happened, for real,” Foster said, according to AL.com. “Nothing happened. … Talk to Tim (Williams). Talk to Ryan (Anderson). Talk to Dalvin (Tomlinson). Them boys know. They were there.”
NFL.com reported that two of the players Foster listed refuted his claim that they witnessed what happened.
According to reports, the alleged altercation did not get physical.
Along with the other linebackers invited to the 2017 Combine, Foster presumably was at the hospital during the required medical checkups, which remain the single most important element of the Scouting Combine.
Several Alabama players in the past — including defensive lineman Jonathan Allen on Friday — have been red-flagged due to various long-standing injuries either discovered or confirmed during similar medical evaluations in Indianapolis.
Foster sustained various “minor” injuries in 2016, including to his arm, knee and head (concussion), which may have required a thorough evaluation. He was not expected to work out this week in Indianapolis because of recent surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff.
“Everything ain’t perfect,” Foster said. “I’m good. I just have to think. Just had to sit back and relax and think about what I really want.”
Foster, the SEC Defensive Player of the Year and Butkus Award winner as the nation’s top linebacker, was the first true linebacker selected in each of CBSSports.com’s mock drafts and the No. 7 overall prospect on NFLDraftScout.com’s board.
Starting for the second season of his college career in 2016, Foster immediately erased concerns as to how Alabama might replace last year’s leader, SEC Defensive Player of the Year Reggie Ragland, by recording 115 tackles, including 13 tackles for losses and five sacks.
Foster presumably would be able to work out at Alabama’s Pro Day on March 8.