Foster an intriguing prospect in Texans backfield - Part II

Arian Foster at Texans training camp          (Andy Martin)

University of Tennessee running back Arian Foster was one of eleven undrafted rookie free agents signed by the Texans the day after the 2009 NFL Draft.

The Texans didn't get any running back help in the draft, so it was important for them to add at least one body to help shore up depth at a not-very-deep position.

Foster and the others received two-year minimum deals.

So the million dollar question is why wasn't Foster drafted?

To help answer that question, and many others, I approached one of my colleagues, Tennessee Volunteer Examiner Dennis Farmer.  Dennis is a Knoxville native and University of Tennessee alum who lives and breathes UT (no, not the University of Texas) sports.   Who better to answer a few questions on Arian Foster, right?

I asked Farmer for a quick capsule on Foster's strengths and weaknesses.

Jacoby Jones has had similar issues letting the ball get away from his body while navigating through traffic.  Let's hope Texans running backs coach Chick Harris can help Foster keep that ball secured high and tight when he runs through traffic.  Head Coach Gary Kubiak has a very low tolerance for fumbles.

Back to the question of why Foster wasn't drafted.  Here's what Farmer had to say:

"Foster was projected to be a 2^nd round draft pick if he had come out in 2007, said Farmer.  "But he decided to come back for his senior season. One reason that he was not drafted was his horrendous season of 2008. BUT, he did have a new running backs coach, a new and less competent quarterback, an under-performing offensive line, and a new offensive coordinator who turned out to be (less than stellar)."

It's also safe to say that NFL teams might have been turned off by his poor showing at his Pro Day.  Plus, there are red flags health-wise.  Foster had to leave the Senior Bowl practice early and he didn't run at the combine because of injury issues.

So, a pinch of this and a dash of that and all of a sudden you can begin to see why Foster's name wasn't called on draft weekend.

In terms of where Foster stands in Tennessee Volunteer football lore, Farmer adds:

"He is our second all-time leading rusher, but ... no one would ever seriously consider mentioning him in the same breath as other UT rushers like Travis Henry and Jamal Lewis. Hopefully he will behave better than those two off of the field, though he did receive a charge for disorderly conduct and underage consumption in 2006. This could just be seen as a rite of passage.  I have seen reports that question his character. I can tell you that he is a smart guy. He has a philosophy degree, which is no small accomplishment for a UT football player."

Texans fans looking for a silver lining in all of this negativity should read the comments by Phillip Fulmer and David Cutcliffe in this article by Chris Low on ESPN.com.   There are common themes in the assessments by Farmer and Low, and there are just enough half-full's in this dismal swamp of half-empty's to remain somewhat intrigued by Foster's prospects with the Texans.

I suspect that some of Foster's past problems - at least the non-ball carrying problems - can be attributed to age, maturity, and/or mental toughness which can become non-issues in the right environment or as time passes.