20/20: Tua Tagovailoa

Ray Garvin Posted On February 11, 2020

Welcome to the 20/20 series. As part of our continued Dynasty Scouts coverage and in preparation for the NFL Combine, we profile 20 of the top incoming rookies of the class of 2020 by giving you 20 facts you must know.

1.) Player Name – Tua Tagovailoa

2.) College – Alabama

3.) Height/Weight – 6’1″, 218 pounds

4.) Birth Date – 03/02/1998 (21 years old)

5.) Class – Junior

6.) Basic college stats – Tua broke onto the scene on the biggest and brightest of stages as a true freshman in 2017. Having played sparingly in the regular season, he stepped up in relief of a struggling Jalen Hurts in the National Championship game versus Georgia to deliver the game-winning touchdown pass in overtime to bring home the title. He only went on to become the most prolific passers in Alabama history, while sitting out many fourth quarters and an injury-shortened junior campaign.

7.) NFL Draft round projection – We all know what he can do as a passer. He’s shown us how talented he is in every facet of the position, but there are question marks around his current hip injury and his overall injury history. Based on everything we are hearing about his recovery and numerous mock drafts, he seems to be a lock for at worst a top-15 selection, with the very real chance he goes much much higher.

8.) Current NFL comparison – The two comps I’ve seen the most are Russell Wilson and Drew Brees. He’s more Brees than Wilson with regard to how he processes the game and wins from the pocket. He lacks the rushing upside of Wilson, but can extend plays with his legs. However, nobody really wants to see that from Tua moving forward.

9.) Best possible destination – ANY! He is that good. If a team needs a quarterback and they draft Tagovailoa we will all be excited for his future.

If I had to choose a preferred landing spot, I’ll give you the two that seem more likely and a third that would be dream: 1. Los Angeles Chargers; 2. Miami Dolphins; 3. New England Patriots.

Tua in LA would be box office and the supporting cast of offensive skill position players would give him immediate weapons on all three levels to use at his disposal once he was ready to play. LA could also be a sneaky landing spot for Tom Brady should he decide to leave.

The Dolphins have a veteran in Ryan Fitzpatrick that could start and let Tua heal in 2020. They have a ton of picks and young talent on the outside.

The Patriots need a replacement for Brady as soon as possible. Can you imagine Tua in a Patriots uniform? I don’t want to see it either, and neither will the rest of the NFL.

10.) Worst possible destination – He’s a quarterback, and a very very talented one at that. I don’t think there’s any team that he can land on that will be a bad situation for him. What would be a travesty is for an organization to push him to play in 2020.

11.) Best current skill – Football IQ and Accuracy. He is a surgeon from the pocket. He delivers a very tight ball with fantastic placement. He can accurately throw the ball in all quadrants of the field and on all three levels. His ability to process information and progress through his reads is probably the best in his class, and may be the best we’ve seen from a quarterback prospect in the last couple of years.

12.) Skill that needs to be improved – Pocket awareness. He tends to hold the ball a little too long at times. While extending plays is a positive skill-set, given his injury history nobody wants Tua taking any more punishment than he has to. Take what’s there and live to fight another play.

13.) Past/current rookie ADP – Based on some early mock drafts that are currently underway, Tua seems to be the consensus number two quarterback off the board. This makes him a lock for a top-five selection in superflex formats.

In single quarterback leagues, I’d anticipate him settling in as a late second, or early third round pick (at the latest) in rookie drafts. Based on January ADP data, I’d have Tua in the 12-to-14 area with names like Sam Darnold, Jameis Winston and Jimmy Garoppolo all around that range.

Eds. note: He is currently ranked 18th (QB2 behind Burrow (15th)) in DLF’s 2020 Rookie Rankings.

14.) Projected dynasty value – Don’t be surprised when a team in your rookie drafts take him over Joe Burrow.

It seems inevitable that Burrow will don a Cincinatti Bengals uniform next season.

There are rumors about the Chargers, Panthers and even the Lions taking Tua, though. If the former Alabama signal caller lands on one of these NFL teams – each of which inarguably provides a far superior dynasty situation for a young quarterback – it wouldn’t shock me to see Tua rise up to first overall in superflex formats.

Don’t get it twisted: he does not lack any particular skill that Burrow possesses. He is a deadly accurate thrower, with outstanding football IQ, competitive spirit, and toughness.

15.) Tua’s skill set – It’s easy to forget just how dominant he was in college, especially with Burrow’s magical season still lingering in the rear view mirror.

There aren’t many weaknesses in his game. Here’s a thread to remind you all just how special a quarterback prospect he is:

||Thread||

Tua Tagovailoa 6’1” 218 – JR, Alabama

We all know he suffered a devastating injury that cut his 2019 season short, but all reports from his recovery have been positive so far.

Let’s take a look at what makes him such a tantalizing NFL QB Prospect. pic.twitter.com/SBT3lfmLJa

— Ray G (@RayGQue) January 11, 2020

16.) Tua’s record setting career – Tagovailoa leaves Alabama with at least 11 school records: single-season passing yards (3,966, 2018); single-game touchdown passes (six against Ole Miss this season), single-season touchdown passes (43 last year) and career touchdown passes (87); career touchdowns responsible for (96); career 300-yard passing games (10) and career four-touchdown games (12).

17.) Injury concerns – It’s impossible to overlook Tua’s extensive injury history. He’s dealt with multiple ankle injuries that required him to have the much spotlighted tightrope surgery to help aid in the recovery of his high-ankle sprains. Tua dislocated his hip in a game vs. Mississippi State on November 16, 2019. The injury was originally feared to be similar to former running back Bo Jackson. Subsequent updates have indicated that Tagovailoa’s injury was not as severe and there are no signs that the quarterback will not make a full recovery. It’s been reported that he could be healthy enough to throw at the NFL Combine.

18.) Hawaii high school legend – He’s the career passing leader in Hawaii high school football history. According to Hawaii Prep World, Tagovailoa ended his prep career with a staggering 8,158 passing yards and 84 touchdowns. Former University of Hawaii quarterback Timmy Chang passed for 8,001 yards during his prep career in ten more games than Tagovailoa played.

He also added 1,727 rushing yards and 27 rushing touchdowns for 111 total career touchdowns.

19.) The Moment – How about I just show you when the legend of Tua was born.

https://twitter.com/RayGQue/status/1219442274041585664?s=20

20.) The Intangibles – He’s a natural leader, someone you won’t have to worry about putting in the work to get better and improve.

Here’s a quote from his former offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian: “For those of you who don’t know him and some of you in the room do know him, and he’s the guy, when he walks into the room, he lights it up,” Sarkisian said. “It doesn’t matter if it’s the training room, the locker room, the practice field, the equipment room, the coach’s office, that guy is a true leader. Everybody knows the work ethic and the desire and the competitiveness he has.”