Reuben Foster the latest 49er to have brush with law

Posted By on February 15, 2018

FILE – In this Sept. 21, 2017, file photo, San Francisco 49ers injured linebacker Reuben Foster watches before an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams in Santa Clara, Calif. The 49ers are hoping to get the talented rookie linebacker back this week after a sprained ankle sidelined him since the season opener.(AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, File)

Since 2012, police have arrested 10 players on the 49ers. Some more than once. One twice in the past five weeks.

Some were suspended by the NFL.

Here is a complete list of the 49ers’ recent offenders, their offenses and the team’s response to each one.

Reuben Foster

March 3, 2017: The NFL sent Foster home from the Scouting Combine after he failed a drug test and screamed at a student hospital worker.

49ers response: They traded up to take Foster with pick No. 31 in the first round. During the draft, GM John Lynch said, “People may be questioning some of (Foster’s) character, but his character is what drew us to him. He lights up a room. He’s a good kid. I believe in the kid.” Lynch also said he would have drafted Foster with pick No. 3 in the first round had Solomon Thomas not been available.

Jan. 11, 2018: Alabama police arrested Foster for second-degree possession of marijuana.

49ers response: They issued a written statement that they take the matter seriously and are gathering information.

Feb. 12, 2018: Los Gatos police arrested Foster for domestic violence, criminal threats and possession of a SIG Sauer 516 short-barreled assault rifle — illegal in California.

49ers response: They issued a written statement that they take the matter seriously and are gathering information.

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This article has 104 Comments

    1. Great song. I heard it live at the 1983 US festival, Day 2. How’s this for a one day, Heavy Metal lineup: Quiet Riot, Mötley Crüe, Ozzy Osbourne, Judas Priest, Triumph, Scorpions, & and Van Halen. David Lee Roth came out on stage drunk as a skunk, couldn’t remember the lyrics, thankfully Eddie VH took over and stole the show. However, the best guitarist award went to Triumph’s Rick Emmett.

      1. Hey Grant, your article would be stronger if it contained more context. For instance, how would you compare the 49ers handling of lawbreakers to the rest of the league. And how do the 49ers stack up compared to, say, the Cowboys? Or the Vikings, Bengals, Broncos, Titans, Bucs, Colts, Jags, Browns, Bears, Chiefs, Dolphins, Ravens, Seahawks & Chargers, all of whom, since 2000, have had more players arrested for breaking the law than the Niners.

              1. I must say Jack, your column was a thousand times better than Grant’s. You actually gave an opinion and it didn’t read like a police blotter.

            2. More context.

              http://www.sportingnews.com/nfl/news/nfl-arrests-2017-domestic-violence-marijuana-weed-assault-charges/1axpb44wef1ef1tum5qmkyeo8l

              “… 79 percent of arrests in the league have come during the offseason.”

              Are the teams responsible for watching their players year round?
              Should we actually blame the people that commited the crimes?
              Should we blame York and Marathe since they’re the only ones that have been here the whole time?
              Should we blame JL and KS for Brock even though they inherited him?
              Should we blame Harbaugh and or Baalke for Bruce Miller or do we blame Chip Kelly?
              Should we blame McCloughan for Aldon since Baalke used his draft board?
              Should we blame everything on Baalke because we’re used to blaming everything on Baalke?

          2. Looking only at arrests is misleading Jack. You need to look at what states are tolerant with (or not) as well. For instance Foster would not have been arrested for pot in SF. If you look at the WC teams, they don’t have many arrests for drugs while DUI are high. I also suspect that some of the places will let things slide, for instance some teams have no DV, like JAC and Philly. Is that possible?
            Do you believe that it is possible to win a SB with a team of nice guys or is it possible that some people are not reported???

        2. Sounds like the law of averages to me. Since 2000 the 49ers are middle of the league in arrests. Unlike some teams, the 49ers haven’t, to my knowledge, actively pursued a disproportionate number of lawbreakers, compared to other teams. The Bengals drafted Joe Mixon last year, despite video showing him sucker punching a young women, knocking her unconscious. How quickly did the Raiders scoop up Aldon Smith? How quickly did the Cowboys scoop up Greg Hardy? How about Zeke? How poorly did the Ravens handle Ray Rice? The list goes on and on.

          How about holding the players accountable for their mistakes, instead of placing blame on their employer? How about an article comparing how lenient the 49ers are on lawbreakers, opposed to other teams? Have the 49ers been too lenient compared to other teams, or simply unfortunate? I haven’t seen any proof that says they have been. Have you?

          Wouldn’t that be a better article?

          1. In other words, unless you can show me data the suggests the 49ers are somehow different than other teams in how they deal with lawbreakers, as opposed to the law of averages, and perhaps some poor luck, I could honestly care less. And I haven’t seen squat in terms of proof that the 49ers are more likely than other teams to enable, or encourage their players to break the law. How do we know that the 49ers won’t end up with far fewer troubled players than the league average over the next 5 years, simply due to the law of averages and nothing more? A football team is no different than most other aspects of society in that, regardless of the harvest, you’re going to have some bad apples in nearly every bunch. Factor in the violence inherent in the sport, CTE, and the socio-economic factors involved, and what you get with the 49ers is more or less typical for the entire NFL. So what in this article is newsworthy, because football players doing dumb stuff certainly isn’t.

        1. US2, and the Scorpions stole the show and got to play 2 1/2 hours(were scheduled to play only 2 hours) thanks to the antics of David Lee Roth, who was caught in the back room by the back stage cam laying wood to a groupie. Eddie sucked imh because he was trying too hard to compensate for Roth on his tiny guitar he was playing on. Temps were like 112 degrees with girls walking around topless letting me spray them with my water bottles. Looking back at a sea of 300,000 bic lighters was a sight I will never forget….

    1. Was wondering that too. The arrests span many different regimes. And Aaron Lynch is on the list for some reason. What am I supposed to comment on? I guess I could post more song lyrics.

      Bad boys, bad boys
      Whatcha gonna do, whatcha gonna do
      When they come for you?

        2. And/or trying to tap the outrage at his trying to shame the Niners
          “Why I outta….!” ? ? ?
          yawn

  5. If Reuben gets released, there is a job opening at KNBR…I actually liked p-conn. What I appreciated is that he didn’t say “uhh” every other word like Radnich. Pconn worked at his craft. Radnich is just lazy. Pconn was too blue collar though. although he was a Marine which is good upside. Later…!Dude!

  6. I would not be surprised to learn that Foster has CTE because his play speed is so violent. The signs are there…

    Maybe the team should screen future draft prospects for CTE indicators. No, you can’t do pathology tests, but look for uncharacteristic outbursts and mood swings. The higher the highs and lower the lows, the more likely a violent player has brain damage.

    1. Good point Yosemite Sam. When Biomedics develop reliable CTE testing for living human beings, and the 49ers refuse to use the test while other teams do, then we have a story worth my time.

    2. @ Yosemite,

      Aside from the scary Gattica feel to your post, it is outrageously unfair to this young man to throw CTE out as conjecture about his behavior. When Foster was 18 months old his father shot his mother and wounded Reuben. The father was arrested but escaped the county jail and was on the run for 16 years. He was captured a few years ago when Reuben was a freshman at Alabama and sentenced to prison for 35 years. Then, Reuben was close to his cousin who was killed in a shooting a few years ago. This young mans life hasn’t exactly been easy. Maybe, just maybe, some of the trouble Reuben faces has nothing to do with CTE and is more to do with the tragedies he has endured. You’re brain dump about testing for “outbursts and mood swings” prior to drafting a player is not only idiotic, it’s downright offensive.

      1. There seems to be little hesitation among commenters here to offer Medical, Psychiatric, & Psychological diagnoses about persons with whom they’ve never been in the same room. But their advice comes cheap. Lucy from Peanuts asked for $.05.

  7. The 49ets shouldn’t cut foster just to see the pats or Cowboys grab him up later… if im them I see what the league gives him and maybe add an extra game or 2 from the team to show some team discipline.

  8. The more I watch of the RBs in this draft the more I think Sony Michel is the pick of the group. Followed by Guice. And the more I think Barkley is a great athlete but not going to be a great RB in the NFL.

    1. You think Sony Michel is a better prospect than Saquon Barkley? Tell me that’s not what you’re saying.

      The best RB prospect in years, according to the majority of GM’s and pro scouts, and your talking about a guy named Sony Michel, who a lot of people had never even heard of until the NCAA playoffs?

      SMH, Ridiculous! What is happening to this blog? I’m starting to wonder if some on this blog even understand what a blue chip prospect is, and the art of projecting a player’s talent and physical attributes for the next level. Saquon Barkley is, without a doubt, the QUINTESSENTIAL NFL RB prospect. With the the key word being quintessential!

      quin·tes·sen·tial
      kwin(t)əˈsen(t)SHəl
      an adjective
      – representing the most perfect or typical example of a quality or class.

      1. They might end up being right. I don’t know how good or bad Barkley will be. Is he a better prospect than Elliot? Maybe, that’s subjective, but he’s certainly in the conversation.

        One thing I do know is that I would be utterly stunned if Barkley isn’t the first HB taken in the draft, especially after he dominates the Combine. I think most if not all GMs would agree with you. The Niners have shown interest in Barkley, so there’s that.

        This might make you feel better. Some of the people that are being critical of Barkley are the same people that tried to tell us that Solomon Thomas’ measurables wouldn’t be a problem at the pro level.

      2. Its exactly what I am saying. Reggie Bush was going to be the best RB since Barry Sanders, but he got to the NFL and turns out you actually need more than incredible athleticism. I think Barkley will be the same. He got away with a lot of bad decisions in college. Won’t be the same in the NFL.

        I know you have a hard on for Barkley so therefore ridicule any notion that disagrees with yours, but imo he isn’t as good a RB as he is being made out to be. He’s a great athlete.

        1. Reggie Bush’s problem wasn’t talent, it was lack of passion and durability issues. Neither of which appears to apply to Barkley. If someone is evaluating Barkley on the qualities that make for a HOF NFL RB, Barkley checks every single box and then some! Sure, there is always an outside chance that something happens to any prospect that changes their current trajectory? It’s called life. You can’t project a RB prospect based on the unpredictable., because the same thing applies for every NFL athlete.

          1. Scooter, there wasn’t a majority of scouts who felt like Solomon was a sure fire hall of fame prospect. Many were on record questioning his size. Why? Because undersized lineman are generally challenged to dominate at the NFL level. For the record, I was one of those against drafting him that high. Check my history.

            1. You are correct #80. I never heard one single credible & qualified NFL scout call Solomon Thomas the best prospect at his position in at least a decade. Lack of size on the interior of the DL is almost always a hindrance at the NFL level.

              Barkley on the other hand, has no such weaknesses at RB. Every single quality of his should be considered elite. His combination of size, speed, strength, & vision, coupled with his off-the-charts lateral agility and elusiveness, the ability to excel out of the backfield as a receiver, even in the slot, as well as the willingness (and size/strength) in pass protection, heart & extreme determination, and last but not least, exceptional character & mental makeup, make him the rarest of breeds at the RB position. All of these qualities together are why he’s such a special NFL RB prospect. And any NFL talent evaluator worth their weight has to have Barkley at the top of the RB prospect rankings, unless they have an alternative agenda.

              1. Brandon Graham should be a cautionary tale for those prematurally writing Solomon Thomas’ epitaph….

              2. Razor, I think Solomon is going to develop into a fine player. He has talent. He’s also a very hard worker, and I think his passion for the game along with his high character, will help drive him forward, to eventually become a very good player. But is he a superstar? Is he a future HOFamer? Was he a guy whom scouts believed had HOF potential prior to the draft?

                Were there a lot of people who question his lack of size for a guy who played the bulk of his college career on the interior? Yes. Did he have the kind of impact in year one that most coaches and GM’s would hope for out of a #3 overall pick? No. Does that me he’s a finished product? No. Does it mean he will never live up to being the #3 overall pick? Not necessarily. Would the 49ers front office do the same thing if they could turn the clock back? My gut says no. Should the 49ers have gone in a different direction with the #3 overall pick? In my opinion, yes. Is it still too early to fully judge him as a player? Yes. Is it still early enough for him to prove me wrong? H@ll yes!

              4. “Brandon Graham should be a cautionary tale for those prematurally writing Solomon Thomas’ epitaph….”

                Thomas is already good against the run. Nobody is writing his epitath (saying he sucks). I mentioned his measurables being a problem at the pro level and they absolutely have been.

                Will he get better? Probably, I hope so. Will he get longer? No.

        2. It happens every year “a once in a generation” player who the media and fans fall in love with.

          I have watched plenty of Barkley’s play and while very good, I don’t know if he will be able to translate that to the NFL. Is he the best player in a generation? Doubt it, but then that is also true for generally every player that gets overhyped. There are always plenty of those.

          1. True East. There are no guarantees, regardless of the hype. However, there is a reason for the hype. IMO, the opinion of many others, Barkley has elite NFL caliber RB qualities across the board. When a player has elite qualities in every category of which defines the position, it’s reasonable to expect that the synergistic effect will result in a sum that is even greater than its individual parts. Maybe there is something about Barkley that doesn’t show up in evaluating his unbelievable talent, but for the purpose of projecting his ability at the NFL level, I haven’t found anything to suggest he isn’t going to be the player that the majority of the most qualified NFL evaluators in the sport believe he’s going to be. The bonus for him, on top of the athleticism, intangibles, and the qualities like elusiveness & vision, which are unique to the position of RB, Saquon Barkley is a fit for every offensive system in today’s NFL. And that’s the reason that, despite being a running back prospect, for what has become a passing league, he still has a reasonable chance at being the #1 overall pick in April.

            IMO, and the opinion of the majority of people whose livelihood depends on identifying the best players in the nation, Saquon Barkley will be the best NFL running back in this class. And there is absolutely zero chance there is another RB in this class who will be drafted ahead of him. To pass on Saquon Barkley, who is the consensus top RB prospect in not only this draft class, but also the consensus top RB prospect over the last decade, in favor of any other back in this draft, is the kind of risk that people can, and will, likely lose their jobs over, if he is who most of the top scouts think he is. Who’s going to potentially throw their careers away by passing on a guy with Barkley’s reputation, in favor of Sony bleeping Michel, Derrius bleeping Guice, Ronald bleeping Jones II, or any other RB in this class?

            And if, by some off chance Barkley is on the board when the 49ers go to the podium, and they don’t select this guy, I’ll leave this blog, pack my 49ers memorabilia and jerseys in a strong box, and burry that box in the deepest, darkest hole I can dig. That’s how strongly I feel about this kid, and his future impact in the NFL. Thankfully, I am confident that Kyle understands the nearly infinite impact pairing this kid up with Garoppolo would have on his offense, therefore I think I’ve got a better chance at being hit by lightning while simultaneously being mauled by a rare Gobi Grizzly bear on the flight deck of a flying saucer, than I do watching ShanaLynch pass on Saquon Barkley!

            1. well…on the off chance that Barkley is still on the board at 9 or 10, you might want to acquire that strong box, reserve the back-hoe rental, and get that “special” insurance for lighting strikes and “wild animal mishaps”…as to insurance for alien abduction scenarios, I don’t know…maybe Lloyd’s of London?

              2. I think I’ll wait to shop for that strong box until after the draft. For starters, I’ll have to stock up on a lifetime supply of Puffs -plus lotion- tissue paper, before I aquire that box. And maybe even a case of gauze and surgical tape, if the 49ers front office does the unthinkable, and rips my bloody heart out while it’s still beating!

                lol, Thanks for the advice though tjf!

              3. You think not Razor?

                ShanaLynch have made it clear that their general philosophy when approaching the draft is BPA. Their strategy is to go into the draft with as few pressing needs as possible, so that they can draft the best, most talented player on their board, regardless of position. Personally, I’d prefer the strategy of BPA at a position of NEED, if it’s close, and there isn’t much daylight between the two, but there are many NFL personnel departments that don’t subscribe to my prefered strategy, though some do.

                In any case, the 49ers Director of Player Personnel, Ran Carthon, is a former NFL running back, and he’s a HUGE Saquon fan. I guarantee you, if Barkley is on the board at #9 or #10, he’ll be the BEST PLAYER AVAILABLE on the 49ers draft board, and he’ll be BPA by a wide margin.

              4. Sorry Razor, I got that wrong. Carthon is the 49ers Director of Pro Personnel. But he’s an ex-NFL RB, as is one of their top scouts, Reggie Cobb (1,337 total yards rushing and receiving, with 9 TD’s for the Bucs in 1992). And if both are as enamored with Saquon as I’ve heard they are, my bet is that the 49ers will run to the podium in record time if Saquon is theirs for the taking in round 1.

              5. I guess if a bear mauling on a alien space craft is in your wheelhouse of possibilities, then JL doing the “podium dash” to nab Barkley makes a kind of sense…
                and I’d say KS has his RB stable for ’18 on the roster now, unless he goes for another late round RB bargain…

              6. tjf, unless the 49ers resign their leading rusher over the last few years, Carlos Hyde, I don’t think they are set at RB for 2018. They have a number of promising players, but without Hyde, their stable of backs isn’t strong enough, IMO. Matt Breida looks pretty good, but I question whether he’s a feature halfback. Joe Williams and Jeremy McNichols are both unproven question marks, and Raheem Mostert is #4, and he’s primarily a Special Teams ace coming off of a MCL tear. I don’t think that’s nearly enough without Hyde, and I think the 49ers will almost certainly target a RB in this deep RB class, even if they sign Hyde, which might not happen.

                They would be head over heels for Saquon Barkley, who fits any offensive system, but appears to be a perfect fit and prototypical RB for Kyle’s outside zone schemes, due to his elite lateral speed and agility, as well as his ability to plant his foot and cut on a dime while showing phenomenal burst and acceleration through the hole or crease, at which point he has another gear, and hits his elite 4.33 break away speed in a flash, and has the power to simply run through defenders if he has to. Not to mention his fantastic receiving skills allowing him to catch the ball out of the backfield into the flat, or lineup in the slot, where his route running ability also shines, ala Christian McCaffrey. Imagine what Kyle could do with that now that he has a QB who can find open receivers at will and deliver the ball in stride. OH MY ……. GOOSEBUMPS!

              7. my theories include resigning Hyde for ’18…sorry, should have made that more clear– the 2018 RB room will look just like it’s 2017 predecessor… perhaps adding another late rounder RB in next draft….

            2. And if, by some off chance Barkley is on the board when the 49ers go to the podium, and they don’t select this guy, I’ll leave this blog, pack my 49ers memorabilia and jerseys in a strong box, and burry that box in the deepest, darkest hole I can dig.

              Lol you’ve done this already when you disappeared the season before last about 5 games in when they were struggling under Chip Kelly. If you think Shanahan will draft a RB in the first round you haven’t been paying attention to his history or his Fathers.

              1. “If you think Shanahan will draft a RB in the first round…”

                How do you explain the interest in Fournette and McCaffrey? Fournette was probably draft smoke, but they had nothing to gain by feigning interest in Caff, as nobody would have traded up to #2 for him.

                I think we’ll sign Crowell or Lewis, possibly bring back Hyde, so Barkley won’t be an option by draft night IMO. But I don’t think KS would decide to completely rule out any HB just because he has a 1st round projection.

              2. I wouldn’t say I disappeared rocket. I did cut back on my posting out of boredom. How many times can a person watch Chip Kelly call the same play, ad nauseum, with the same predictable results, game in and game out? Honestly, after the league adjusted to Chip’s offense, and the league officials decided to treat the QB like a runner, it became the most boring scheme I’ve ever watched. Chip Kelly got schooled by every NFL defensive coordinator in the league during his one year as the 49ers HC. Shotgun, inside & outside zone reads going nowhere fast. The opposing defenses attacking the same basic offensive formations over, and over, and over, and over again. The definition of insanity – doing the same thing time and time again, and expecting different results. Under Chip Kelly, the 49ers offense was simply painful to watch. It was not only as boring as watching paint dry, it was also embarrassing, like watching the antisocial class nerd, with the bad breath and greasy hair, steal your girl, week after week after week. No thanks, I actually have a life, and too much 49ers pride to put myself through that on a weekly basis!

              3. And did Mike Shanahan pass on an opportunity to draft Saquon Barkley? In some sort of parallel universe perhaps?

              4. #80,

                I’m going by how the Shanahan’s have operated in the past. They get results in the running game with day 3 RB’s and always have. I don’t see KS deviating from that philosophy.

                49reasons,

                Just having some fun with you. You were so high on the team going into that season and then disappeared when they sucked, so doing that if they don’t draft Barkley would be more of the same wouldn’t it?

              5. rocket,

                After the draft it was revealed that McCaffrey was on the Niners short list of players they felt comfortable drafting. Same with TJ Watt.

                The difference between Caff and Watt is that Caff was a 1st round lock after the combine. So we know that Shanny was absolutely considering taking a HB in the 1st round. Most likely after a trade down and assuming Thomas and Foster were gone.

              6. lol, that’s fine rocket. I tend to be a little overly optimistic about the 49ers every season. You’re good for pointing that out. I wasn’t sure anyone noticed that I took a “breather” so to speak. It got to where I was yelling at my TV screen, calling exactly where the ball was going. Chip simply failed to make adjustments, and it was hard to watch for me. How about you?

                As for Barkley, look, maybe I’m missing something. I think he’s the greatest thing since the invention of solid state televisions, but I’ve been wrong once or twice before. I haven’t seen your mock, did you post one, or is it still too early?

              7. #80,

                It was? I must have missed that.

                With the success RBs have traditionally had in this system I can’t see it but I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.

        3. Scooter,

          I had the same type of back and forth with him on the previous topic page. He said Barkley is the best prospect ever and the majority of scouts feel the same way, yet couldn’t produce anything to confirm that. Barkley is viewed as the best back in this class, but I definitely can see what you do when I watch him. He relies on things that won’t hold up at the next level and there were teams at the College level who made him a non factor last year. They hype around this kid is out of control and 49reasons is leading the way.

          1. Another good thing about Michel is that he shared carries during his time at Georgia. He never had over 200 carries in a season so his body should be pretty fresh. Barkley had more carries in 3 years than Michel had in 4, and was on the field for a lot more plays. He was a workhorse which won’t hurt him too much early on, but a RB only has so many plays in his body.

            1. rocket, how could I prove to you what the majority of scouts think of Barkley? I’m simply telling you what I know, and what I have heard. You don’t have to believe it. I could try and research every NFL scouts take on Barkley, but that’s not worth my time, or yours.

              I did post this response though: For the record though rocket, NFL talent evaluators told Sports Illustrated’s The MMQB that “Barkley is a better prospect than Ezekiel Elliott was two years ago. Barkley is a true workhorse back who would be a first-round prospect solely on his ability as a runner. Add in his passing-game skills—think Le’Veon Bell, a big back who has the ability to create separation when lined up as a receiver—and he’s custom-built for the modern NFL”. Barkley is Sports illustrated’s #1 ranked prospect in this years draft. And one of the 49ers top scouts, former RB (and the leading rusher for the Florida Gators in 2003) Ran Carthon, told a colleague basically the same thing. There’s a name for you.

              And here’s another name, 49ers regional scout, and former RB (1,100 plus rushing yards for the Bucs in 92′) Reggie Cobb.

              Listen, I like Michel. I think he’ll have a lot of success in the NFL. And he does have a lot of tread left on his tires. He’s not in the same zip code as Barkley though, IMO. Barkley will lead the league in all purpose yards and rushing yards, and he’ll do it before the age of 23. And all I can do is tell you that I know for a fact, that there are many NFL scouts, GM’s, and talent evaluators who believe the same thing. And that’s the reason there is so much “hype” surrounding Barkley. Nothing is guaranteed in the NFL. We’ll have to wait and see, but mark my words though, that day is coming . Until then, enjoy the show!

          2. Ah ok, tbh all I have seen is 49reasons hype machine which I have then skimmed past so missed that. I can see why he gets people excited – he was a highlight reel waiting to happen in college. But unless he really is the next Barry Sanders he is going to disappoint. Because despite his size, that is how he plays. He doesn’t take the yards the D gives him. He is ALWAYS looking to make the big play. And in the NFL that is going to be much harder.

            Something the pro Barkley crowd never mention is how often he has negative or zero yard plays. In 2016 nearly a quarter of his runs wer 0 yards or less. A quarter! I haven’t got his 2017 stats, but it was more of the same. He is a home run hitter, but you won’t be able to rely on him keeping you ahead of the chains.

            1. 25% stuff rate on Barkley run snaps, eh?
              coincidentally, our 2017 run stats show 23% of all our run snaps were zero gain or loss…
              does this mean Barkley will fit right in with our crappy run blocking????

              1. Ha! He probably would actually! More likely to create on his own anyway. Though you will find the number of 0 and negative yard runs in the pros is more common than in college, so having a quarter of your runs in college be such plays is somewhat alarming.

                Hopefully the interior OL will be much better next year, so the 49ers RBs can actually get hit behind the LOS less often.

              2. 49reasons,

                I know there are a lot of fan sites who love the kid. What I asked you for was the quote from NFL scouts saying they’d give hom the highest score of any prospect ever as you did.

                He’s a good player but zeke was better. Numbers also bear that out. There are going to be a lot of disappointed people out there when this kid doesn’t play up to the hype.

            2. A quick little internet research on scouting Saquon:

              Legendary NFL Scout Gil Brandt: “This (Barkley) might be the best running back to come out of college since Barry Sanders”

              “You can build an offense around him,” said one AFC exec of Barkley. “He’s so f—ing good. Zeke is solid in all areas. Fournette is a special athlete for the position. This kid? He’s way better than both of them . . . He’s a step above Zeke in all categories, and has much better hands and feet and vision than Fournette does. He’s special. I haven’t seen a better college football player.”

              “When I first saw Zeke, it was his explosion from the line to the second level that was rare, and Saquon’s is probably a little better,” said another NFC personnel director. “There’s something different about this guy, he has rare things about him—his explosion, his balance, his vision, his ability to cut laterally. Someone hits him and he lands on his feet. And he’s tougher than s—. He steps up in pass protection.”

              Jeff Cavanaugh has been covering the Cowboys for eight years and analyzing the NFL Draft for the last five while being a radio host for 105.3 The Fan. He is also one half of the Trust the Tape podcast with Dane Brugler. I love his short, quick take on Saquon:​ Full Saquon Barkley scouting report: Best back I’ve ever studied /end scouting report.

              Colts Scouting: Barkley is flat out the best running back prospect we have seen in a long, long time. He is up there with the likes of Adrian Peterson and Barry Sanders as the best tailback prospect ever.

              Giants scouting: Saquon Barkley is a generational type running back. He’s an athletic specimen with a well-rounded game that will make an instant impact for an NFL team.

              Stephen D. Riley of the AFRO Sports Desk: Barkley is the best running back prospect since Adrian Peterson and he’ll dominate once he hits the professional scene. That quality alone should have him going first overall. He’s a game changer. The acceleration, the hands and the power are reminiscent of Bo Jackson, and those type of players don’t just pop up on scouting reports every year.

              I love this one. Broncos scouting: Barkley is so much more than a running back. He is an all-around offensive weapon, an alien-like athletic freak, a culture setter, both on and off of the field.

              Yahoo spoke to two NFL scouts who’ve studied both Elliott and Barkley extensively.
              Scout A: “Saquon Barkley is better than Zeke, he’s faster than Zeke and has more twitch,” Scout A said. “Saquon Barkley is a different guy with an extra gear. He’ll never get caught from behind. Zeke doesn’t get caught often, but he can.”
              Scout B: It’s a close race between Barkley and Elliott as a player. “A lot of guys like Saquon more than Zeke,” he said. “He’s really, really good. But I thought Zeke was better.”

              The list goes on and on.

              1. More from BLEACHER REPORT’S Matt Miller on Saquon Barkley: The junior running back isn’t flawless, but he’s close. Barkley is a 230-pounder with excellent overall athleticism, vision and balance. You’d like to see him run through contact a little more, but who’s to say he won’t do that when the hits aren’t coming for free? What Barkley brings as a 4.3-speed back with legit hands and game-changing burst is special enough to warrant a conversation of him as not only the best player in the class, but also the first overall pick.

                Miller Poll: Of the (dozens) of respondents to my text, only two picked a player other than Barkley as the best player in this years draft.

            3. “Something the pro Barkley crowd never mention is how often he has negative or zero yard plays.”

              I’m pro Barkley but I’m not putting him in the HOF or guaranteeing multiple All Pro selections. He might not pan out and there’s a good chance that he’ll go to Cleveland where careers die.

              WRT negative or zero yard plays, Barry had a lot of those too. It takes a rare athlete with rare talent to pull that off. Barkley does have that rare athleticism, but does he have the talent? We’ll see.

              To put it another way. I think your scepticism and 49’s enthusiasm are both understandable.

            4. Heck, I believe that Nick Chubb can be a productive RB at the next level.
              I like his tackle breaking ability and he gains positive yards when going down.
              Chubb has a good combination of size and respectable speed and is the type of runner that can wear down the defense. Penny is also a good RB with almost the same measureables as Chubb. These guys are going to help whichever team draft them.

              Barkley is a great talent but we just don’t know how that will translate on pro level.
              TBD.

    2. I like Michel as well, Scooter especially in this offense, however, his fumbles are a concern. RJ2 is another running back that could star in Shanny’s offense, but both these guys will go too high for the 49ers. Hines is the late round back that’s a perfect fit for the outside zone, and from the tape I’ve seen, he can pass protect too. Something Penny hasn’t shown he can do. My running back board:

      Guice
      Michel
      Barkley
      RJ2
      Chubb
      Johnson
      Hines
      Penny
      Ballage

      2. I really like Hines… as a complementary back. I think he will be a great RB2 that can step in as a RB1 if injury strikes.

        Ballage is Kevan Barlow the second. Steer clear.

    3. Scooter
      I agree on Sony Michel. I’ve had him on my RB watch list since his game winning touchdown in the Rose Bowl. I also want to see combine times for San Diego St.’s Rashaad Penny.

    1. Thanks for the numbers #80. Kind of puts things into perspective, right?

      Of course, Jack Hammer is wondering about the most recent 5 year span. What he apparently fails to understand is, if the 49ers are middle of the pack since 2000 despite leading the league in arrests over the span of the last 5 years, how far below average would they have had to have been during the 13 years prior?

      Basic math!

    2. What was the biggest trouble Reuben Foster got into at Bama? None. Zilch, Zero, Nada. The biggest trouble he got into since joining Alabama was at the combine, after his college career, when he was sent home for a verbal altercation with a hospital employee, and he failed a drug test at the combine due to a diluted sample. When people say that he dropped to #31 in the draft, in part, due to character concerns, they are lying. He dropped due to concerns about his shoulder, plain and simple. When you have Reuben’s talent in the eyes of the NFL, a diluted sample isn’t enough to drop you in the draft. How do we know this? Gareon Conley went to the Raiders way before Reuben, and he was under serious investigation for rape, in a case where a lot of things he said didn’t add up. And a handful of picks after Reuben was selected, a guy named Joe Mixon was drafted by the Bengals. Yah, it’s the same Joe Mixon who was caught on video surveillance sucker punching a young lady he didn’t even know, in the face, and knocking her out clean cold! How about Lawrence Philips, charged with assault, vandalism, and disturbing the peace. The following season, Phillips broke into backup quarterback Scott Frost’s apartment, he then assaulted basketball player Kate McEwen. Phillips dragged McEwen out of the apartment by the hair and down three flights of stairs before smashing her head into a mailbox. How far did the ultra talented Philips drop in the 1996 draft? He “fell” to the 6th overall pick.

      So yes, if you want to call out the NFL as a league, fine. But singling out the 49ers, when every other NFL team does the same, or worse ….. give me a break!

      1. “What was the biggest trouble Reuben Foster got into at Bama? None. Zilch, Zero, Nada.”

        That we know of.

  10. Law breakers in the NFL? Hard to believe.
    My guess is that for every player that has been arrested, there are many incidents where players have been coddled and were been given a ” break”, and not arrested.
    The child and teen athlete are often treated like royalty because of their perceived talent, and therefore never grow up or learn any real life lessons. It’s called being spoiled.
    This problem goes far deeper than the NFL.

    1. It is not a NFL only issue. It has more to do with male physiological and psychological development between the ages of 18-25. Do you think a 24 year old male law school student is much different than a 2nd year NFL player?

      I can say that I am very thankful that there weren’t iphones and pocket cameras when I was in college.

  12. Grant,
    Usually your posts have a point of view, then I either agree or disagree with your point of view. Can you please inform me what the point of this post was? To paraphrase Steve Martin to John Candy, “Have a point, it makes it so much more interesting to the reader”

    1. What it always is, to disparage the Forty Niners organization. This has been his treatise since the beginning. You fools act like this is new.

  13. Charles Dickens got paid by the word it’s been said. His works were lengthy. A few folks on here seem to have taken that approach. It seems to be a way of shouting down those they differ with, not by audio volume, but by volume of text posted; kind of a denial of service attack on those who would hold an opinion separate from their own expert brilliance.
    > There are no experts opining on this blog. Period. <

  14. What do you guys think about WR Jarvis Landry as a possible FA signing?

    Other notes, I think Andrew Norwell will get tagged by the Panthers. So he may be off the table. Nate Solder, on the other hand, cannot be tagged by New England due to a clause in his contract. Should the Niners go after Solder?

    1. Nick

      If memory serves me right, Nate Solder was looked over as a potential draftee coming out of college…He was kicked to the curb for having ‘short arms’ which sent me into convulsions of laughter. Having completed his first contract, I would guess that he wasn’t affected ‘badly’ as the 49er brain trust suspected….
      Andrew Norwell would be tagged if it weren’t for the payroll discrepancies at the Panthers local bank….I think he’s ours if we really want him….Personally I prefer Pugh….

    2. I don’t think Norwell will get tagged, because the Panthers just spent a ton of money on Trea Turner, their other guard. I can’t imagine the Panthers devoting so much of their cap to just the guard position. I do think the Giants will make a serious, and expensive, run at Norwell, and will be the Niners stiffest competition. Solder is a fine player, but he would be a third tackle on the Niners behind Staley and Hubbard; and while Staley may retire in a year or two, and Brown may leave in free agency next year, that means you are paying $8-10 million next year for Solder to sit on the bench. I think the Niners need a swing tackle who can eventually start should Brown or Staley leave in the next year or two; think Christopher Hubbard from the Steelers.

        1. I agree about drafting and developing. But Hubbard would be half the price of Solder, has been operating as a swing tackle over the last two years, and can ably step in right away should Staley or Brown go down with an injury (as he did this year when the Steelers lost their right tackle). He would provide the immediate help for injury, and then in 2-3 years we can be talking about Hubbard and whoever we draft as starters.

          1. I have to agree that a developmental rookie might well be a liability as a step in replacement this year.

  15. Graham is probably a good comparison. I imagine that’s what Thomas will be,numbers wise… possibly even slightly better.
    But is a 5.5 sack a year guy worthy of the number 3 pick?
    To be fair to Thomas, I think he will be a solid player. But if he is just a run stuffing DE, I think the drop off between him and Blair would be minimal.

  16. I hope Jack Cichy, LB, Wisconsin runs 4.7 or greater, pushing him into the 7th round where we can use one on him, and stash him for a year while his body fully recovers and gets stronger….

  17. Analyst Matt Harmon thinks the 49ers should sign Seahawk FA Paul Richardson.

    His reasoning is that Jimmy G needs to improve on deeper passes. On passes that traveled ten yds or less in the air, Jimmy had a passer rating of 112.7 (league average of 90.8). On passes that traveled 20 or more yds through the air his passer rating was 24.3 (vs. a league average of 78.1).

    “[T]he good thing about Paul Richardson is not only does he win deep passes, he wins in tight windows. He actually averaged 27.3 yards per reception on tight-window throws, Next Gen Stats shows us — that’s exactly what we saw on the film. Those are the types of things that the 49ers need to work on.”

    Richardson is 6ft and weighs around 185 lbs. He averaged 16 yards per reception last year in sixteen games with 44 receptions totaling 703 yards. We still need a red zone target though.
    https://www.ninersnation.com/2018/2/16/17021146/nfl-free-agency-2018-49ers-paul-richardson-jimmy-garoppolo-wide-receiver

    1. Richardson has speed, tracks the ball well and would be a low cost weapon to add to Jimmy’s arsenal, while at the same time weakening our nemesis….

    2. I’m not a fan of the wide receiver free agent class, but if the Niners insist on taking one, I would vote Richardson; he is young, has only scratched the surface on his abilities, and has the type of upside that is missing with Robinson, Landry, etc. (whom we know what they are).

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