Saints schedule predraft visit with former No. 1 WR recruit

New Orleans Saints scouts began touring the college pro day circuit following this week’s NFL Scouting Combine, making one of their first stops in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The Alabama Crimson Tide hosted its pro day workouts and interview sessions for local media and representatives from all over the football world. Given the sustained success built there by head coach Nick Saban, it makes plenty of sense for the Saints and other pro teams to go looking for their future stars.

One name that jumped out was Robert Foster, 2014’s top-ranked wide receiver recruit. Foster told NFL.com’s Chase Goodbread that he scheduled a March 23 visit with the Saints, presumably in New Orleans as one of their limited official meetings.

Foster is intriguing for a couple of reasons, mainly his athletic ability. He timed an official 4.41-second run at the Combine, which ranked third-best in the wide receiver group. That’s very good for a player of his size (just under 6-foot-2, 196-pounds) though you’d like to see more well-rounded athleticism from Foster: he displayed just average agility and little to no short-area explosion.

As for his college career, it started off rocky. Foster didn’t get into the starting lineup until his sophomore year, when he posted 116 yards and caught two touchdowns in three games before going down with a torn rotator cuff. A car accident last summer cost him more practice time and 29 stitches. Since then he’s played in the shadow Calvin Ridley, and graduated with just 389 career receiving yards. Too often he left plays out on the field from lapses in awareness:

Maybe teams like the Saints see untapped potential in Foster. That was the story out of Tuscaloosa before the Combine, with teams apparently hoping he would continue to fly under the radar and be available during undrafted free agency. But if the Saints’ interest is any indication, he could expect to hear his name called from the podium on draft day.