San Francisco 49ers rookie linebacker Reuben Foster was very impressive on Sunday night. He had a couple of jarring hits against a pair of Minnesota Vikings players. The first was against rookie running back Dalvin Cook to start the game. Wide receiver Laquon Treadwell was the recipient of the second near the end of the first half.
"Every time I looked up, it seemed like he was around the ball," 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said Sunday night. "I know he had the tackles. The eye test looked good."
NFL.com analyst Bucky Brooks raved about Foster's performance against the Vikings, writing the following about the exciting rookie. Foster had Brooks' highest grade (A+) among individual performances from any team during the third week of preseason.
"The rookie linebacker looked like the best player on the field against the Vikings. Foster chased down runners and pass catchers from sideline to sideline, exhibiting outstanding instincts, awareness and acceleration. He finished the night with eight tackles, including a tackle for loss, while commanding the middle of the field like a warlord. If the preseason is any indication, the 49ers' D will return to prominence with Foster leading the charge."
Apparently, Pro Football Focus was not as impressed by Foster's performance. He did not even break the site's top six 49ers from Sunday night. Pro Football Focus had the following players listed as its six best 49ers against the Vikings.
- ED Aaron Lynch, 86.6 overall grade
- ED Elvis Dumervil, 86.1 overall grade
- ED Arik Armstead, 82.1 overall grade (Tie)
- HB Raheem Mostert, 82.1 overall grade (Tie)
- ED Pita Taumoepenu, 79.8 overall grade (Tie)
- WR Pierre Garçon, 79.8 overall grade (Tie)
Dumervil and Armstead each had quarterback sacks in Sunday's game. While Lynch did not record a tackle, he did come away with eight quarterback pressures. Dumervil came away with Pro Football Focus' game ball on Sunday.
One lesser-known offensive player who made a strong case that he deserves a roster spot was running back Raheem Mostert, who caught the attention of fans and the media. His performance stood out so much that he made Pro Football Focus' Week 3 "Team of the Week."
Here is what Pro Football Focus had to write about Mostert.
"Battling for a roster spot, Raheen Mostert certainly gave a good impression in the second half of the 49ers third preseason game. Mostert's highlight of the night was taking a screen for an 87-yard touchdown on 3rd & 22 to put the 49ers up two touchdowns late in the third quarter. Mostert was also impressive rushing the ball, forcing two missed tackles on only four carries with 22 of his 26 yards coming after contact."
As for Foster, if Sunday was any indicator, he looks like one of the more promising rookies this season. There was never any doubt regarding his ability and potential. What NFL teams did doubt was his health. Foster spent most of the offseason recovering from shoulder surgery following the 2016 college football season and NFL teams didn't believe that he would be healthy during the upcoming season. That's why the linebacker fell to the 49ers, who selected him after trading back into round one to make Foster the second of their first round selections this year, at number 31.
The way Foster was hitting with his shoulder on Sunday night, it certainly looks like the 49ers may have gotten a steal in the draft. If Foster remains healthy, he could prove the 49ers right and a whole lot of other NFL teams wrong.
Foster finished Sunday night with an eight-tackle first half performance, which led the 49ers.