INDIANAPOLIS — Alabama linebacker Reuben Foster was sent home from the NFL scouting combine following a heated argument with a hospital worker, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, and was sent home Saturday.

Foster, the 2016 Butkus Award winner and a potential top-10 pick in the 2017 NFL draft, was at the combine only to be measured, medically evaluated following rotator cuff surgery and interviewed by teams. He was unable to work out this week and is not expected to work out at his pro day next Wednesday because of the injury.

Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller reported that Foster’s interviews did not go well with teams this week.

Schefter reported that it might have stemmed from a disagreement over how long Foster had to wait to have his shoulder be evaluated. One league source indicated that the process often moves slowly and that there might have been a miscommunication over the timetable of events.

Yahoo Sports’ Charles Robinson added some more context to this odd story.

Two years ago, Todd Gurley — who eventually became the 10th overall pick in the 2015 draft — refused to let combine doctors evaluate his surgically repaired knee and reportedly got terse with at least one person who repeatedly requested that Gurley grant permission to look at it.

Foster is roundly viewed as being the best inside linebacker in this draft class after his 115-tackle, five-sack senior season for the Crimson Tide, who lost to Clemson in the national championship. But this incident could have an effect on his draft stock if teams are worried about his character and could end up costing him a few million dollars the farther he slides.

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Eric Edholm is a writer for Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at edholm@yahoo-inc.com or follow him on Twitter!

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