ASU alumnus, former Cardinals RB D.J. Foster joins Sun Devils’ support staff

Former NFL running back D.J. Foster is adding to his Valley football legacy as he will be joining first-year head coach Kenny Dillingham’s staff as a manager of player development.

Foster graduated from Saguaro High School in Scottsdale and went on to play for Arizona State, the New England Patriots and Arizona Cardinals.

Coming out of high school, Foster was the highest-ranked Arizona prospect in the state’s 2012 class to sign with ASU.

Eleven years later, Dillingham has publicly made it a mission to “activate the Valley” and rejuvenate the program’s initiative to recruiting its homegrown talent. The addition of Foster is another move that fits the culture Dillingham is trying to create.

Since his last playing stint with the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League, Foster has seen his fair share of Arizona’s high school football talent over the past few months as a sideline reporter for GameTime on YurView, a Cox TV station that focuses on showcasing premier Arizona high school football.

“Words can’t explain how excited I am being back in the building!” Foster said in an Instagram post announcing the hiring. to announce the hire. “I can’t wait to help these young men grow and be a resource for them in this pivotal moment of their lives. As well as connecting ASU alumni getting them back around the program.”

Foster had an impressive four-year run at ASU, finishing as one of just five players in NCAA Division I history to rush and receive for more than 2,000 yards in their career and is second in ASU history in career receptions.

His best NFL season was in 2017 with Arizona when he appeared in seven games and caught 17 passes for 133 yards.

The hiring of Foster adds to a long list of current ASU coaches with Arizona ties that are a part of this new staff, including Dillingham, assistant head coach and special teams coordinator Charlie Ragle, defensive coordinator Brian Ward, tight ends coach Jason Mohns, linebackers coach A.J. Cooper, running backs coach Shaun Aguano and defensive line coach Vince Amey.

The Sun Devils begin their regular season on Aug. 31 at home against Southern Utah.