2017 NFL Mock Draft: Top Quarterbacks Start Their Rise

Reuben Foster . 3. player. 56. The best 4-3 defenses in history have always had a great middle linebacker at that heart of them. Ray Lewis in Baltimore. Brian Urlacher in Chicago. All the way down the line. The Cincinnati Bengals have made due with smart, tough guys like Ray Maualuga. However he’s begun to slip in his effectiveness. If this front seven for the Bengals is really going to reach its full potential, then they need to make a bold move to upgrade that position. <p>Reuben Foster has emerged as the best inside linebacker prospect in the 2017 class, and his buzz is still growing. He’s a tough, instinctive linebacker who does the classic jobs like tackles and shoot gaps to stop the run. Where he separates himself is in the range, athleticism and ability to play in space as a coverage linebacker. There really isn’t a lot he can’t do, and he is a dependable leader on top of it. He can be an All-Pro for Cincinnati.</p>. ILB. Alabama