The San Francisco 49ers announced on Friday they have signed linebacker Reuben Foster to a four-year deal. With the signing, the 49ers now have eight of the team's 10 2017 draft picks under contract.
Foster (6-1,228) was the second of two first-round draft picks (31st overall) selected by the 49ers in this year's draft out of Alabama. He appeared in 51 games (24 starts) during his four-year career at Alabama and registered 222 tackles, 24 tackles for loss, 11 passes defensed and eight sacks.
In 2016, he was named First-Team All-America by the Associated Press, SEC Championship Game MVP and the winner of the Butkus Award as the nation's top linebacker. That season, he started all 15 games and led the Crimson Tide with 115 tackles, ranked fourth on the team with 13 tackles for loss and added five sacks and two passes defensed. In 2015, he saw action in all 15 games and totaled 73 tackles, nine passes defensed, eight tackles for loss and two sacks. He appeared in 11 games as a sophomore in 2011, recording 22 tackles, two tackles for loss and one sack. As a true freshman, he saw action in 10 games in 2013, registering 12 tackles and one tackle for loss.
A 23-year-old native of Auburn, AL, Foster attended Auburn (AL) High School.
