Getty Tua Tagovailoa, formerly of the Alabama Crimson Tide
Former Alabama quarterback, Tua Tagovailoa, is one of the most talented passers to enter the NFL Draft in the last ten years.
Before suffering a major hip injury in a November game against Mississippi State, the 2018 national championship game hero was a consensus number one overall pick.
The Alabama playmaker threw for 33 touchdowns this past season and only three interceptions before his injury. Both statistics ranked in the top 10 of all FBS quarterbacks.
Tagovailoa is projected to be selected as high fifth overall to the Miami Dolphins according to ESPN’s Mel Kiper.
However, another NFL draft expert is comparing Tagovailoa to one of the best NFL quarterbacks of the last two decades.
“Tua … I would argue he’s better than Joe Burrow. When he’s right, he’s Drew Brees from the left side.”
—@McShay13 👀
McShay On Tua
ESPN NFL Draft analyst, Todd McShay, shared some very interesting thoughts on Tagovailoa when he went on First Take with Max Kellerman, Molly Qerim and Stephen A. Smith Tuesday morning.
McShay addressed the debate between Tagovailoa and former LSU quarterback, Joe Burrow, and spoke on how many executives around the league are feeling about the Alabama star’s potential in the league.
🐘 87 pass TD
🐘 96 TD responsible for
🐘 93.4 QBR
🐘 National champion
Tua had an incredible career with @AlabamaFTBL 🔥
“This is going to be the most interesting storyline of the draft,” said McShay. “I mean I would argue he’s better than Joe Burrow and that will be the great debate in this years class.”
McShay went on to compare Tagovailoa to one of the most accomplished quarterbacks in NFL history and said that he sees similarities in both of the way they both play.
“When he’s right, he’s Drew Brees from the left side, ” McShay stated. “But part of his game is being twitchy it’s not necessarily running it’s just how quick he moves inside the pocket just like Brees.”
“He processes quickly and then he sees it and then his feet are always tied to his eyes and if he loses that mobility and twitchy-ness if you will then he’s not going to be the same player. ”
Two years ago, Tua Tagovailoa became an Alabama legend after this walk-off TD pass to win the national championship 👏
NFL Team’s Worries
McShay believes the thought process around Tagovailoa is similar for almost every team that is scouting him.
“We’re not going to know leading up to the draft,” explained McShay. “I talked to a bunch of general managers and head coaches and some medical people and everyone’s kind of looking around and saying the same thing.”
“We know how great of a player he is, we know he’s going to be a first round pick but are we willing to gamble, you know $25 to $27 Million dollars in guaranteed money on the fifth pick, sixth pick, seventh pick?”
Tua’s injury history at Alabama:
While the cons for drafting the injury riddled quarterback are extensive, the pros are just as numerous. Tagovailoa has game changing talent that can be the difference between multiple playoff appearances and multiple years finishing last in your respective division.
“You are taking a big gamble but you are also taking a big risk by passing on him too because he has a chance to be a real special starter in the NFL, ” stated McShay.
Tua’s Time To Shine
The former Alabama quarterback announced his decision to forgo his senior season of eligibility and enter the 2020 NFL Draft on January 6.
Tagovailoa was a Heisman Trophy finalist in 2018 and was one of the most prolific quarterbacks in the NCAA,
If the young star can reach his full potential in the NFL, he will be able to change the fortunes of a franchise forever.