ALLEN PARK -- The Detroit Lions needed a linebacker last year. They had a chance to select perhaps the most talented linebacker in the draft, too. And then they took Jarrad Davis instead.

One year later, that decision continues to look like the right one.

Sure, Davis endured some ups and downs in his rookie season. And, sure, Reuben Foster was among the best linebackers in the league for San Francisco. But he also played only 10 games because of injury, and now there's no telling when he'll play another.

Foster was arrested by police on Feb. 11 after he allegedly attacked a 28-year-old woman at their Los Gatos, Calif., home. The victim told police Foster dragged her by her hair, physically threw her out of the house and punched her in the head eight to 10 times.

Police later found a weapon -- a Sig Sauer 516 -- and a high-capacity magazine in the home, both of which are illegal in California.

Foster now faces three felony domestic violence and weapons charges, plus one misdemeanor charge for possession of a large capacity magazine. If convicted on all charges, he faces more than 11 years in prison.

Foster, 24, was one of the most promising physical talents in last year's draft. But there were red flags back then too. He had a history of shoulder injuries. Then he was kicked out of the combine for a spat with medical personnel. Then word leaked he failed a drug test there too. Teams started turning over rocks, and found some questionable connections in his inner circle.

But the talent was undeniable. Many analysts thought he'd still be a top-15 pick, red flags and all. NFL Network's Mike Mayock said he'd be shocked if Foster fell out of the top 20.

Then on draft night, there Foster was, still waiting to hear his name called with the Lions on the clock at 21.

But GM Bob Quinn elected to go with Davis instead, who maybe didn't have quite the same upside as Foster, but was a good player who also had high character marks from people throughout Florida and the college game. He was the kind of player upon whom Quinn could depend, and around whom he could build.

Whether that pick works out remains to be seen. Davis started 14 games and led all rookies with 96 tackles, but also struggled so much in coverage that Detroit began taking him off the field in obvious passing downs midseason. But Davis did eventually win back his three-down role, and played much better down the stretch.

He was also as-advertised in the locker room, a guy who worked hard, stayed out of trouble and was there every day to call out the plays for the defense.

"It really did (click in for him)," Quinn told reporters this week. "I'd say the last four to five games of the season, you really saw Jarrad Davis at his fullest, which stepping in, rookie middle linebacker, signal caller, he had a lot of things on his plate early in the season. Fought through an injury, missed a couple games there with the neck, then came back and we kind of took a few things off his plate to kind of get him back running again.

"I was really happy with how the year ended up."

Meanwhile, there's no telling when San Francisco will see Foster again.