Buccaneers select UW’s Mason Foster

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected former University of Washington linebacker Mason Foster in the third round (84th overall) of the National Football League Draft. Foster became the second ex-Husky selected in 2011, following Jake Locker, picked in the first round (eighth overall) by the Tennessee Titans on Thursday.

This is the second consecutive year that Washington has had a linebacker taken in the Draft. Last year, Donald Butler went to San Diego in the third round (79th overall). Butler did not stick with the Chargers and did not play in the NFl in 2010.

An Associated Press third-team All-Amercan and a first-team All-Pac-10 choice in 2010, Foster played and started in all 13 UW games at outside linebacker, finishing the regular season as the leading tackler in the conference and No. 2 in the nation at 12.58 per game.

His 163 tackles were the most by a Pac-10 player since former Husky James Clifford recorded 168 in 1989. Foster produced 378 tackles during his Washington career, the No. 8 mark in school history.

Foster reached double digits in tackles in 12 of Washington’s 13 games (nine in the other). He had a career-high 18 tackles against Stanford, including 12 solo stops. He also had 14 tackles against BYU, Nebraska (first game), Oregon, UCLA and Washington State.

Foster was named defensive MVP of the Holiday Bowl, finishing with 12 tackles, including three for loss and two sacks.

Foster won the team’s 950 KJR Most Valuable Defensive Player award at the UW’s postseason banquet.

Foster becomes the 35th linebacker selected in the draft by a National Football League team, and the eighth high-selected linebacker.

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