2016 Football Roster
Reuben Foster
- Position:
- LB
- Height:
- 6-1
- Weight:
- 228
- Class:
- Senior
- Hometown:
- Auburn, Ala.
- High School:
- Auburn
2016 (Senior)
An instinctive linebacker who won the Butkus Award as the nation’s best linebacker … a unanimous first team All-American … also a finalist for the Nagurski Trophy ... leader and signal caller of a defense that led the nation in rush defense (63.9 ypg) and scoring defense (13.0 ppg), and ranked second in total defense (261.8 ypg) … a top 20 nominee for the Lombardi Award ... midseason All-American by Sports Illustrated, Fox Sports, CBS Sports, Sporting News, USA Today, Pro Football Focus ... led the Crimson Tide with 115 tackles, 60 of which were solo, a team-high mark ... 94 of his tackles came against the rush to lead the team ... ranked fourth on the team with 13.0 tackles for loss (-64 yards) and added five sacks (-41 yards) ... added eight quarterback hurries and two pass breakups to his season totals ... named as one of the UA coaching staff’s defensive players of the week for his performances against USC, at Ole Miss, against Kentucky, at Tennessee, vs. Texas A&M, at LSU, against Florida in the SEC Championship Game and most recently against Washington in the CFP Semifinal. USC: Delivered some huge hits as part of his four tackles, including one for loss ... helped captain a defensive front seven that limited the Trojans to only 64 yards rushing. Western Kentucky: Registered a team-high six tackles, five of which were unassisted ... added one quarterback hurry ... helped limit the high-powered Hilltopper offense to only 239 yards. Ole Miss: Collected a career-high and team-leading 12 tackles against the Rebels ... seven of his stops came in the first half while he collected five in shortened action in the second half ... playing time was cut short due to cramping that forced him to miss part of the final two quarters. Kent State: Notched a team-leading seven stops against the Golden Flashes ... added half a tackle for loss (-5 yards) ... helped limit the KSU offense to only 166 total yards. Kentucky: Finished with six stops against the Wildcats ... added one quarterback hurry ... played a key role in holding the Wildcat offense to only 161 total yards on the night. Arkansas: Totaled two tackles, including one for loss (-2 yards) along with a quarterback hurry and a pass breakup in limited playing time ... exited the game early with an injury, missing the entire second half. Tennessee: Wrapped up his afternoon in Knoxville with four tackles, including 1.5 for loss (-11 yards) and one sack (-10 yards) ... also broke up a pass for his second straight game ... helped limit the Volunteer offense to only 163 total yards. Texas A&M: Matched his career high with 12 total tackles including eight solo stops ... helped limit the Aggies to just 278 total yards and held the SEC’s top rushing offense to just 114 yards ... added half of a tackle for loss. LSU: Recorded a team-high 11 tackles with 1.5 tackles for loss (-6 yards) and half of a sack ... helped limit LSU to just 92 yards passing and 125 total yards, including just 25 total yards in the second half. Mississippi State: Tied for the team lead in tackles with six, including four solo stops ... added a tackle for loss and helped limit the Bulldogs to just 94 yards rushing. Chattanooga: Recorded five solo tackles with two tackles for loss (-10 yards) ... helped limit the Mocs to 184 total yards, including just 70 yards rushing. Auburn: Tied for the team lead in tackles with eight stops against the Tigers ... added a half tackle for loss (-2 yards) while pressuring the AU quarterback a career-high four times ... helped limit the high-powered Auburn offense to 182 total yards ... Alabama also held the Tigers -- who entered the game leading the SEC in rushing -- to just 66 yards rushing or 232 yards less than its season average. Florida: Earned Most Valuable Player honors for his performance in the 2016 SEC Championship Game ... led the Crimson Tide with 11 total stops, nine of which were solo ... added a career-high 2.5 tackles for loss (-15 yards) and two sacks (-15 yards), also a career mark ... his standout play up the middle helped limit the Gator rushing attack to 0 total yards on the ground ... also applied pressure to force the UF quarterback into throwing three interceptions. Washington: Led the Crimson Tide with nine tackles on the afternoon ... helped limit the high-powered Husky offense to only 194 total yards and seven points ... his eight stops against the run were a major part in the Tide’s defensive effort to limit UW to only 44 yards rushing. Clemson: The Tide’s leader in tackles with a career-high tying 12 stops, 10 of which came against the Tiger rushing attack ... added one sack (-8 yards) to his totals ... helped limit the CU rushing attack to only 91 yards on the ground.
2015 (Junior)
Earned the starting job at inside linebacker as a junior ... finished second on the team with 73 total tackles, eight for a loss (-24 yards), with two sacks (-7 yards), three quarterback hurries and nine pass breakups ... named one of the UA coaching staff’s defensive players of the week following Mississippi State and Auburn. Wisconsin: Made his presence known against the Badgers, finishing with four tackles, including one for a loss (-2 yards) from the will linebacker spot ... helped limit the Badger rushing attack to just 40 yards rushing on 21 total attempts. Middle Tennessee: Collected six tackles in his first start of 2015 while also adding two pass breakups ... exited the game early after suffering an upper body injury. Ole Miss: Earned the start at will linebacker and tallied three total tackles ... helped limit the Rebel rushing attack to just 92 yards on the ground. ULM: Racked up five tackles, including one for a loss (-2 yards) ... started for a defense that limited the Warhawks to only 92 yards of total offense. Georgia: Made his presence known in the middle of the Tide defense, finishing with three total tackles by day’s end ... part of a Tide defense that kept the Bulldogs to 299 yards on offense, nearly 200 yards below their season average. Arkansas: Notched four tackles to rank third in stops for the game, while adding one pass breakup ... helped limit the Hogs to only 220 yards, more than 250 yards below their season average entering the night. Texas A&M: Finished the day in College Station with three tackles, including one for a loss (-3 yards), and one pass breakup ... was key in limiting the Aggie offense to just 32 yards on the ground and a season-low 23 points scored. Tennessee: Had arguably the best game as a member of the Tide, recording a career-high 11 tackles, including two for a loss (-8 yards), his first sack of the season (-6 yards) and one pass breakup ... his 11 tackles ranked second on the team ... was a key part of the UA pass rush that recorded five sacks and eight quarterback hurries against the Vols. LSU: Recorded one tackle on the night ... helped limit LSU to 182 yards of total offense, nearly 250 yards below the Tigers average entering the game. Mississippi State: Led the Crimson Tide in tackles with his second double-digit tackling game of the season, making 10 stops against the Bulldogs ... also added two quarterback hurries and two pass breakups, both career highs ... helped limit the MSU offense to no touchdowns and only six points. Charleston Southern: Recorded two tackles in his limited playing time against the Buccaneers. Auburn: Tied for second on the team in tackles with six ... added one quarterback hurry and a pass breakup ... led a Crimson Tide defensive front seven that limited the Tigers to only 91 yards rushing, including one total yard on the ground in the second half. Florida: A force at linebacker, notched two tackles, both for a loss (-4 yards), to help limit the Gator offense to just 15 yards rushing and only 180 yards total. Michigan State: Totaled four tackles with one pass breakup against the Spartans ... played a significant role in limiting MSU to 239 yards of total offense, 158 yards below their season average. Clemson: Collected nine tackles to rank second on the team in the national championship matchup ... notched one stop for a loss of five yards.
2014 (Sophomore)
Made his first career start at mike linebacker against West Virginia ... finished the season with 22 tackles including 11 solo stops, two tackles for loss (-5 yards) and one sack (-3 yards) ... played in 11 games and had the third-most special teams tackles on the team with eight ... developed a reputation for big hits ... missed the Tennessee game due to injury. West Virginia: Registered seven total tackles against the Mountaineers with two solo stops and a tackle for loss (-2 yards). FAU: Came off the bench to record two tackles. Southern Miss: Had one tackle as Alabama limited the Eagles to just 56 yards rushing. Florida: Recorded two tackles with a solo stop as the Tide limited the Gators to only 200 total yards ... both stops were big hits on kickoff coverage. Texas A&M: Made four tackles, including three solo tackles, and his first career sack (-3 yards) ... three of those tackles came on special teams. LSU: Notched two tackles in Death Valley, including a crushing special teams tackle in the final seconds of regulation after Alabama had tied the game. Mississippi State: Made one assisted tackle on special teams. Western Carolina: Notched one big hit on kickoff coverage. Ohio State: Registered one special teams tackle and one stop at linebacker ... both were solo tackles.
2013 (Freshman)
Played in nine games and accounted for 12 tackles as a true freshman … a contributor on special teams and a backup to Trey DePriest at mike linebacker … added one tackle for loss. Virginia Tech: Made one assisted tackle in his debut with the crimson and white, as a backup linebacker. Colorado State: Again came off the bench at middle linebacker … also played on special teams. Kentucky: Recorded two assisted tackles in the win at Kentucky. Arkansas: Came off the bench to assist on one tackle in a 52-0 win over the Razorbacks. Tennessee: Played a significant number of snaps in the fourth quarter at inside linebacker ... made two total tackles with a solo stop. Chattanooga: Had a career-high five tackles in an extended role off the bench ... accounted for two solo tackles and recorded his first career tackle for loss (1 yard).
High School and Personal Data
The nation’s consensus No. 1 inside linebacker … member of the 2012 first team All-USA Football Team, chosen by USA Today … named the defensive MVP of the 2013 Under Armour All-America Game … a five-star prospect by 247Sports, Rivals.com, Scout.com, MaxPreps and PrepStar … the nation’s No. 2 overall player according to Scout.com and PrepStar while ranking third nationally by MaxPreps … rated 13th nationally in the Rivals100 … No. 15 in the Top247 and No. 16 in the ESPN100 … the top-ranked player in the state of Alabama by all national services … ESPN also ranked him 11th in the Southeast Region … the 247Composite had Foster ranked seventh nationally, the No. 1 inside linebacker and the top player in the state … member of the PrepStar Dream Team … recorded 102 tackles with 22 tackles for loss and six sacks as a senior at Auburn High School in 2012 … earned first-team All-State honors from the Alabama Sports Writers Association and was named the 6A Lineman of the Year … … invited to “The Opening” in the summer of 2012 on the Nike campus in Oregon … played in the 2013 Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Classic … was the Georgia AAA Defensive Player of the Year and first-team All-State selection as a junior at Troup County High School in 2011 … made 185 tackles with 144 solo stops, 34 tackles for loss and 18 sacks … had 112 tackles as a sophomore in 2010 at Troup County … coached by Charles Flowers at Troup County in 2010 and 2011 … played for Auburn High School head coach Tim Carter in 2012 … chose the Crimson Tide over Auburn and Georgia.
