Junior running back D.J. Foster looks out at the crowd after making a 56 yard run for a touchdown against Weber State. ASU defeated Weber State 45-14 at Sun Devil Stadium on Aug. 28. (Photo by Andrew Ybanez)ASU junior D.J. Foster announced Tuesday he will forgo the NFL draft and stay for his senior season in addition to becoming primarily a slot receiver in 2015.
“Even long after I’m gone I’m still going to care about this place and still have a tremendous passion about being a Sun Devil for the rest of my life,” Foster said. “By staying my senior year I’m so happy to be a part of this program for one more year. I’ll be able to graduate next spring. I still have a lot more things I want to accomplish, football, whether that’s on the field or off the field.”
Foster said he will be shifting primarily to slot receiver in 2015, which could help his draft status. His throwing partner will likely be redshirt junior quarterback Mike Bercovici, the heavy favorite to land the starting quarterback position next fall after starting three games in 2014. Foster and Bercovici are roommates, along with redshirt junior safety Jordan Simone and redshirt freshman wide receiver Ellis Jefferson.
“I do expect to play a lot more slot receiver role,” Foster said. “For me I’d rather be a receiver that can play running back than a running back that can play receiver. I got a lot of work to do in this offseason.”
In 2014, Foster ran for 1,081 yards on 194 carries (5.6 average) and rushed for nine touchdowns. He also caught 62 passes for 688 yards and scored three receiving touchdowns. Over his three-year career, Foster has 2,075 rushing yards 1,874 receiving yards and was ASU’s second-leading receiver in each of the past two seasons.
ASU has a staple of young running backs to offset Foster moving to receiver. Freshman Demario Richard averaged 5.7 yards per carry last season and scored four touchdowns in Sun Bowl, while freshman Kalen Ballage also gained valuable experience.
Foster admitted on Tuesday there was a time when he was leaning toward declaring for the NFL Draft.
"College football's not easy," Foster said. "It's a lot of work you put in. I put in a lot of work these past three years. As any kid that's a goal that every kid has growing up and playing in Pop Warner and high school. When you see that so close in front of you, it's hard not to reach out and grab it. It truly is. At the end of the day, that's when you got to take a step back and really lay out your options and really see in your life what's important to you."
Foster said he could have received three possible NFL draft grades: first round, second round, or come back to school, with him receiving the latter.
“At the end of the day it really had nothing to do with my draft status or anything like that,” Foster said of his decision. "That was just a very slim piece of information that I had.”
Declaring for the 2015 NFL draft would have been risky given the meteoric rise of underclassmen declaring early and with him switching positions.
“Whether it (switching) helps or not it’s just a position that I feel is more suitable for me and all along I know I can play any position on the field and I’m confident in myself in that term but I think it helps the team next year and I think it helps me a little bit in my future," Foster said. 'I could see myself being more of a slot receiver on that next level."
A record 102 players with eligibility left declared for the draft last year, including former ASU linebacker Carl Bradford (though Bradford earned his degree). Nearly two-fifths those players were not selected. Bradford was taken in the fourth round by the Green Bay Packers, but did not play in a game.
Although some undrafted underclassmen can turn in successful careers, such as former ASU linebacker Vontaze Burfict, it’s a much more difficult path.
Foster, a Saguaro High School (Scottsdale) alum, was the first major signing by coach Todd Graham after taking the job, and has been the face of Graham's "Stay True" campaign aimed at landing high-profile recruits in Arizona.
Reach the sports editor at jmjanss1@asu.edu or follow him on Twitter @jjanssen11
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