PHOENIX -- Linebacker Kwon Alexander has been described as a hard hitter who flies around the field. Coach Kyle Shanahan saw the same type of play from ex-49er Reuben Foster.
“It’s the hard hits,” Shanahan said. “And it’s also the excitement of just truly enjoying football and playing it.”
Foster won over Shanahan and general manager John Lynch prior to the 2016 draft with his exuberant personality and enthusiasm. That attitude and love for the game were felt in the locker room by his teammates as well.
There were a few red flags in Foster’s past, but what Shanahan and Lynch experienced in person was enough to influence their decision.