The 2017 NFL Combine gets going later next week, and we will see draft stock climb and fall for some players. Film and interviews provide plenty of information, but a strong 40 or a ridiculous bench press, or a strong receiver run through the gauntlet can give a player serious momentum heading into the Draft.
One player who will not get a chance to show off is Alabama linebacker Reuben Foster. Shoulder surgery will keep him out of the physical activities, but he will get plenty of chances to speak with teams. The San Francisco 49ers have been connected to him as an option at No. 2, and while we don’t know exactly what the 49ers new staff is looking for there, it seems safe to say they will want to speak with Foster.
In his latest 2017 NFL mock draft, friend of the site Matt Miller has Foster going to the 49ers at No. 2. Miller recently spoke with a team scout who said his team ranked Foster as the No. 3 player in the entire draft class. The medical issues remain a problem, but if he checks out in the re-check in April, it could keep his stock fairly high.
In the past, Miller has mocked Mitch Trubisky to the 49ers. The 49ers need quarterback help, but as Kyle Shanahan said recently, the team just needs a really good football player at No. 2 who will be able to contribute for years to come.
With six-year contracts in hand, Shanahan and GM John Lynch can show some patience at the most important position on the field. It is possible they find one of the QB prospects to be a great option at No. 2, but if not, there is no reason to force it. Very few draft picks are “sure things,” but you absolutely have to get a big hit out of that pick. The rebuilding process could survive a poor pick at No. 2, but it would likely take significantly longer. If the team cannot find the right quarterback for No. 2, there is no point in trying to fit the round peg into the square hole.