NFL Draft 2017: 5 Riskiest First Round Picks

The big losers on the evening were the New Orleans Saints. The Saints were jumped twice in the first round. First, they were jumped by the Kansas City Chiefs to take Patrick Mahomes. Then they were jumped by the San Francisco 49ers who took Reuben Foster. Both players were high on the Saints board. But by being passed over, they dodged two very risky players.

The San Francisco 49ers decided to incur the risk on Reuben Foster. He is a big risk to take.

On the field, Reuben Foster is dream pick. He is a top ten talent that was consistently mocked to the Cincinnati Bengals. He brings an attitude and toughness to the field like no other. He can cover against the pass and provide excellent run support.

However, there are off-field issues galore. Teams are concerned with the people that surround him. There is the character issue of being sent home from the combine. In addition, there are serious medical concerns about his shoulder. On top of that is the failed drug test (diluted sample) at the combine. Add this all up and Reuben Foster looks like a very risky proposition.

Foster fell on draft night to the 31st pick. The 49ers gave up their 34th and 111th pick to acquire him. Trading up for a guy with all these issues is risky. But a defense with Solomon Thomas and Reuben Foster can get better in a hurry.