patmoran2006
03-16-2011, 01:21 PM
Mason Foster, Washington (OLB)
An extremely productive member of the Huskies defense in his four years at Washington, Foster brings an impressive number of accolades to the table. The 6-foot-2, 245 pound linebacker became a starter midway through his freshman year and proceeded to earn team defensive MVP in his sophomore and senior seasons.
In 2010, he led the PAC-10 with 163 tackles – 58 more than the runner-up in that category – and also tallied a career-high seven sacks.
Although Washington’s defense ranked 80<SUP>th</SUP> in the NCAA after yielding an average of 29.3 yards-per-game, Foster still managed to emerge as a legitimate NFL prospect. Initially projected as a third or fourth-round pick, he saw his stock rise after helping his team win their final four remaining games, including a 19-7 upset over #18 Nebraska in the Holiday bowl. Primarily an outside linebacker in the 4-3 scheme run by Washington, Foster is thought to have the versatility to play inside linebacker in a 3-4 look as well.
Despite lacking in dominant size or quickness, the 22-year-old makes up for it with his mental awareness and ability to read plays from the get-go. His instincts are one of his key attributes; allowing him to meet runners at the point of the attack and finish with a sure takedown. Not the most purely physical of all linebackers in the draft, Foster still shows the knack for being around the ball on nearly every snap. That play recognition was on display in 2009 as Foster racked up six forced fumbles and three interceptions.
In pass coverage, Foster must rely on a solid jam at the line of scrimmage because he does not possess the elite speed to stay with receivers through the open field. He may be better off blitzing on passing downs, as he times the snap count well and isn’t easily fooled by developments in the backfield.
Why He’s A Fit For The Bills: Foster plays a position of obvious need on a side of the ball that suffered from giving up way too many yards in 2010. The veterans of this contingent did not get the job done last year, and it is quite apparent the group needs some supplementary help for next season.
Of the many maladies affecting the Bills linebackers last year, one that clearly stood out was frequent misdiagnosis of the play. Defenders chasing helplessly far from the action became a common spectacle on Sunday afternoons as Buffalo’s defense surrendered one big play after another.
Foster figures to help turn that around, as his primary asset of seeing the play’s direction as it unfolds could be quite appealing to Buffalo’s front office.
Other reasons to like Foster are his leadership qualities and excellent durability, as the Huskie didn’t miss a single contest after becoming a permanent starter in his sophomore year. His gift of staying healthy and on the field would be greatly beneficial to a Bills linebacking corps constantly being reshuffled in the wake of injuries. Foster also projects as a solid special teams player, an area where the Bills like to integrate rookies into game action.
Why He’s Not A Fit: Foster is a well-rounded and experienced athlete, but some analysts feel that he doesn’t have the ultimate upside as some of the other linebackers available in this draft. If Buddy Nix thinks his team needs a more dominant force at the position, there should be available players featuring better raw speed and size. The Bills were so badly torched by opposing tight ends last year that they may need a harder-hitting linebacker who is also fast enough to keep up in man coverage.
While there’s plenty of people that grade Foster as a solid second-round talent, others feel selecting him at No. 34 is a little too high and would be a poor value selection. Last season Nix clearly took the “BPA” with his first pick and followed it up with a need pick in round two. Foster is clearly a need-position player, but is he the right guy for the job?
Chance He’s Available At Pick 34: Virtually guaranteed. Foster’s stock is rising, but not so fast that he should be gone in the first 33 slots. Generally seen as a third or fourth-rounder during the season, his helium can only go so far before it eventually levels out. Foster ranks below other first and second-round prospects like Von Miller, Robert Quinn, Akeem Ayers, Justin Kerrigan, Martez Wilson, and more, meaning it’s essentially a lock that he’ll be obtainable early in round two.
Chances He Gets Drafted By Buffalo: Don’t count it out just yet. Buffalo has never shied away from West Coast products, and Foster has the chance to be another good one. The PAC-10 delivered three Bills players in the 2009 draft, so you know the team has a solid scouting presence in the conference.
Even though he’s not coming from a defensive powerhouse, Foster is the kind of lower-profile, sneakily productive player that the Bills could gravitate towards in the weeks leading up to the draft. They picked up Torrell Troup at pick 41 last year, about a round earlier than he was expected to go. If Nix and Chan Gailey are on board with Foster’s skill set and intangibles, they won’t risk waiting until their next scheduled pick at number 68 to snatch him up.
What the Bills do in the first round will be a major factor in their second round thought process. It’s no secret this team needs to beef up the defensive front seven. The only way a linebacker may not make sense at 34 is if the Bills take one at number three, with Texas A&M’s Miller a seemingly logical candidate there.
There’s certainly a lot to like about what Foster can contribute defensively. The Bills brain trust will have plenty of tempting choices at 34, but it’s easy to see why the Huskie standout could be a quality addition in 2011.
Previously: Kyle Rudolph (http://www.buffalosportsdaily.com/bills-prospects-kyle-rudolph/), Martez Wilson. (http://www.buffalosportsdaily.com/bills-prospects-martez-wilson/)
An extremely productive member of the Huskies defense in his four years at Washington, Foster brings an impressive number of accolades to the table. The 6-foot-2, 245 pound linebacker became a starter midway through his freshman year and proceeded to earn team defensive MVP in his sophomore and senior seasons.
In 2010, he led the PAC-10 with 163 tackles – 58 more than the runner-up in that category – and also tallied a career-high seven sacks.
Although Washington’s defense ranked 80<SUP>th</SUP> in the NCAA after yielding an average of 29.3 yards-per-game, Foster still managed to emerge as a legitimate NFL prospect. Initially projected as a third or fourth-round pick, he saw his stock rise after helping his team win their final four remaining games, including a 19-7 upset over #18 Nebraska in the Holiday bowl. Primarily an outside linebacker in the 4-3 scheme run by Washington, Foster is thought to have the versatility to play inside linebacker in a 3-4 look as well.
Despite lacking in dominant size or quickness, the 22-year-old makes up for it with his mental awareness and ability to read plays from the get-go. His instincts are one of his key attributes; allowing him to meet runners at the point of the attack and finish with a sure takedown. Not the most purely physical of all linebackers in the draft, Foster still shows the knack for being around the ball on nearly every snap. That play recognition was on display in 2009 as Foster racked up six forced fumbles and three interceptions.
In pass coverage, Foster must rely on a solid jam at the line of scrimmage because he does not possess the elite speed to stay with receivers through the open field. He may be better off blitzing on passing downs, as he times the snap count well and isn’t easily fooled by developments in the backfield.
Why He’s A Fit For The Bills: Foster plays a position of obvious need on a side of the ball that suffered from giving up way too many yards in 2010. The veterans of this contingent did not get the job done last year, and it is quite apparent the group needs some supplementary help for next season.
Of the many maladies affecting the Bills linebackers last year, one that clearly stood out was frequent misdiagnosis of the play. Defenders chasing helplessly far from the action became a common spectacle on Sunday afternoons as Buffalo’s defense surrendered one big play after another.
Foster figures to help turn that around, as his primary asset of seeing the play’s direction as it unfolds could be quite appealing to Buffalo’s front office.
Other reasons to like Foster are his leadership qualities and excellent durability, as the Huskie didn’t miss a single contest after becoming a permanent starter in his sophomore year. His gift of staying healthy and on the field would be greatly beneficial to a Bills linebacking corps constantly being reshuffled in the wake of injuries. Foster also projects as a solid special teams player, an area where the Bills like to integrate rookies into game action.
Why He’s Not A Fit: Foster is a well-rounded and experienced athlete, but some analysts feel that he doesn’t have the ultimate upside as some of the other linebackers available in this draft. If Buddy Nix thinks his team needs a more dominant force at the position, there should be available players featuring better raw speed and size. The Bills were so badly torched by opposing tight ends last year that they may need a harder-hitting linebacker who is also fast enough to keep up in man coverage.
While there’s plenty of people that grade Foster as a solid second-round talent, others feel selecting him at No. 34 is a little too high and would be a poor value selection. Last season Nix clearly took the “BPA” with his first pick and followed it up with a need pick in round two. Foster is clearly a need-position player, but is he the right guy for the job?
Chance He’s Available At Pick 34: Virtually guaranteed. Foster’s stock is rising, but not so fast that he should be gone in the first 33 slots. Generally seen as a third or fourth-rounder during the season, his helium can only go so far before it eventually levels out. Foster ranks below other first and second-round prospects like Von Miller, Robert Quinn, Akeem Ayers, Justin Kerrigan, Martez Wilson, and more, meaning it’s essentially a lock that he’ll be obtainable early in round two.
Chances He Gets Drafted By Buffalo: Don’t count it out just yet. Buffalo has never shied away from West Coast products, and Foster has the chance to be another good one. The PAC-10 delivered three Bills players in the 2009 draft, so you know the team has a solid scouting presence in the conference.
Even though he’s not coming from a defensive powerhouse, Foster is the kind of lower-profile, sneakily productive player that the Bills could gravitate towards in the weeks leading up to the draft. They picked up Torrell Troup at pick 41 last year, about a round earlier than he was expected to go. If Nix and Chan Gailey are on board with Foster’s skill set and intangibles, they won’t risk waiting until their next scheduled pick at number 68 to snatch him up.
What the Bills do in the first round will be a major factor in their second round thought process. It’s no secret this team needs to beef up the defensive front seven. The only way a linebacker may not make sense at 34 is if the Bills take one at number three, with Texas A&M’s Miller a seemingly logical candidate there.
There’s certainly a lot to like about what Foster can contribute defensively. The Bills brain trust will have plenty of tempting choices at 34, but it’s easy to see why the Huskie standout could be a quality addition in 2011.
Previously: Kyle Rudolph (http://www.buffalosportsdaily.com/bills-prospects-kyle-rudolph/), Martez Wilson. (http://www.buffalosportsdaily.com/bills-prospects-martez-wilson/)