Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is telling people he is very likely to turn pro, according to Tony Pauline of the NFL Draft Network. While just a couple weeks ago this news would have been considered obvious, the past week raised significant questions about his future.
The Hawaii-born quarterback sustained a serious hip injury in the Crimson Tide’s victory over Mississippi State that some compared to Bo Jackson‘s career-ending hip injury. While the news since has revealed the injury was not quite as severe as Jackson’s it was still quickly determined that he would miss the remained of the collegiate season.
A consensus favorite to be the top draft choice in the 2020 NFL draft entering the season, Tagovailoa’s status had lost some luster to players like Ohio State’s Chase Young and LSU’s Joe Burrow. Still, Tagovailoa remained a lock to go in the first few picks in the draft.
After the injury news broke their became legitimate questions as to how he would approach the process. While he remains an elite prospect if healthy, that if though is an even larger concern now. If he remains unable to show teams his pre-injury form prior to the draft, it remains difficult to decipher if teams would still be willing to risk a top selection on him.
Surrounding Tagovailoa is a draft class that includes Burrows, Oregon’s Justin Herbert, Georgia’s Jake Fromm, and Washington’s Jacob Eason who have all gotten first round buzz of their own. Furthermore, this offseasons free-agent class is set to have an abnormally strong crop of quarterbacks as well, which could limit the teams looking at the top of the draft.
Depending on Tagovailoa’s priorities though, the injury could be viewed as further incentive to turn pro now. For one, returning to school risks incurring another even more severe injury before receiving a paycheck, but also, the decline in his draft stock could have positive long-term implications if it allows him to go to a team with a better organizational infrastructure to help him succeed and compete immediately.
So he could come back and play for free and possibly get hurt again. Or he could enter the draft, and fall a couple rounds while securing a guaranteed payday. Seems like a pretty easy decision to make.
I don’t know if he’ll fall a few rounds. At a minimum, I think there are plenty of teams who would gamble a second rounder.
He would probably prefer the second round, no fifth year option meaning he can earn that second contract faster that his peers.
What he’s really saying is, “I’m hurt and need to rehab before the draft so I’m not going to worry about other things like attending classes.”
Any potential 1st or 2nd round talent should pull the Bosa move and simply sit. The money is too great to pass up and ‘be part of the team’ crap NCAA spews.
why the H would he come back and risk another injury. hell still get a worst case 2-3 round grade which is worth leaving for. 2nd contract is the money maker anyway.
I think they only reason he would stay behind is if he projected as a round 2 or below. Those contracts are significantly smaller with less guaranteed money. If he goes in the first 10 picks or so, it’s a no brainer to go pro
The smart strategy here would be to ask Johnny Manziel for career advice…and then do the exact opposite.
Injury reports say it’s a dislocated hip with a break somewhere near(forgot the name). Once healed, he will feel fine and will rehab probably without much problem. The danger is in the next 2-4 years where he very well might develop
Avascular Necrosis which is very common with broken hips(again, not sure where the break occurred in the hip),,,,,this is where the blood supply gets cut off to the head of the femur,,,aka, Bo Jackson,,,and that’s when a hip replacement is needed. So, depending on where exactly the break is, a decision to turn pro asap might be the best bet on his part.
If he gets drafted by the Bengals or one of the other NFL bottom feeders, he will have no OL and need 2 good hips to run for his life.
Part of that might be due to a main artery that passes down the femur to supply blood to and from the hip. I think a possible reason Bo Jackson’s hip might have failed was from breaking bats over his leg. If proper blood flow to the hip was lessened over time the hip could grow weak.
Tua is getting top notch care right off the ground. If the doctor’s gave him an okay and he could do workouts I’d consider signing the kid.
He’d be better off falling out of the first round from a financial stand point to be honest. Chances are he would land in a situation where he wouldn’t have to play right away, get paid to finish his rehab and transition to pro football, and, most importantly, he would not have the fifth year option attached to him.
I would come back and go into the draft next year healthy yes you’ll be stuck competing for a national championship at bama next year but in the long run you’ll be securing more in the rate of pay you’ll get from the position you’ll be drafted at
You never earn your best money in your rookie deal. He’s going to earn heaps being a good QB no matter where he gets drafted. Better off going pro earlier and going to a good team
This is his 3rd major injury at Bama. Makes no sense for him to come back and risk further harm. What’s the worst that happens? He signs a 4 yr. / $10M contract (if his rehab goes well)? He’s a marketer’s dream so he’ll get all sorts of endorsement money as well.
Bama asks him to do too much as puts him at risk for injury too often. Go to the NFL and secure your future now. Even if he has to retire early, he can live comfortably off the money he makes.
If he is healthy come draft day, there’s no way he gets past New England at pick 30-32. Belichick loves Saban disciples and it would be the perfect fit for him!
That injury is Greta for Tua. Now he can slide down the draft to a better team. He doesn’t want to play for the Redskins, Buccaneers, Bengals or Dolphins. He would much rather slide to the Bears, Pats, Chargers, Panthers or Saints.
Imagine going to the Pats and being grommed to replace Brady the GOAT, or going to the Bears and that defence.
I can’t even imagine returning to Alabama, unless he has some huge insurance policy covering him for a fall below the 2nd round.
The perfect storm is Tua falling to New England
More the reason for the Dolphins to draft Tua