Glenn Foster
Defensive Tackle
6′-4″, 280 lbs.
Senior (on scholarship, 1 year to play 1)
Mt. Carmel HS / Chicago, Illinois

ALE Ranking last year: #38
ALE Ranking in 2010: #23

What I Know About Him:

I had him #38 last year after ranking him #23 as a sophomore? What was wrong with me? Easily the most under-ranked player in the 2011 rankings (this year’s candidate: #47 Jake Feldmeyer).

I think my thinking last year was that he was moving back to defensive end where he’d back up Whitney Mercilus. But that idea was scratched when the team left Rantoul. Foster moved back to D-tackle (where he was moved after his redshirt and freshman years at defensive end), Craig Wilson was bumped to backup, and the surprisingly awesome tandem of Spence and Foster was born.

What I Expect From Him:

Foster is the perfect example of a five year player. If you would have seen him at defensive end in 2009 as a redshirt freshman you would have thought he might never play. Overmatched in size and strength by all of the upperclassmen. And then as a sophomore, after he was moved to 3-tech DT and asked to back-up Corey Liuget, he played a little too high and struggled at times against overpowering lines like Wisconsin. And then, as a junior, in his fourth year, it clicked, and suddenly he’s a more-than-solid Big Ten defensive tackle.

If he continues the same path, he’ll have a surprising senior season where we’ll start saying things like “no chance we can replace Glenn Foster’s productivity next year”. He and Spence make a perfect pair at 3-tech and nose guard, and I’m expecting big things.