Tua Tagovailoa’s 2020 NFL Draft Decision Update
Tua Tagovailoa’s 2020 NFL Draft Decision Update
Tua Tagovailoa’s 2020 NFL Draft Decision Update
Tua Tagovailoa’s 2020 NFL Draft decision has been the subject of a lot of speculation.
Coming into the 2019 college football season, Tagovailoa was widely regarded as a guaranteed top pick.
The Miami Dolphins were the organization most often linked to the young Alabama star, but it was pretty much a consensus that he would go top-three no matter what.
As the year progressed, LSU quarterback Joe Burrow kind of snuck into the conversation for top quarterback available. Even with him in the equation, though, Tagovailoa was never considered anything worse than the second best quarterback available.
Tagovailoa being taken outside of the top five was largely unfathomable for most of the year.
Unfortunately, a season-ending hip injury during Alabama’s game versus Mississippi State changed all that.
Suddenly, Tagovailoa’s status was up in the air and many began to wonder if he would even declare for the NFL Draft this year.
If he did, he would still almost certainly be top half of the first round pick. But it wasn’t guaranteed.
On the other hand, if Tagovailoa returned to Alabama for another year, he risked further injury for no pay.
According to ESPN college football insider Laura Rutledge, Tagovailoa’s doctors are saying they are “incredibly confident” that he will make a full recovery.
Appearing on Get Up, Rutledge also indicated that Tagovailoa’s rehab is “going well and is on time.”
“The doctors who performed the surgery feel incredibly confident he will make a full recovery,” Rutledge said.
“I think the key here is the surgical repair and proper rehab has allowed healing of the joint capsule and the soft tissues around the joint — that makes the chances of having the injury again the same for someone who’s never had it.
“So it’s not something they believe will recur.”
So all signs are pointing in the right direction for the Alabama star.
“He also had two guys on his back fall directly onto his right knee and that caused the hip to dislocate out the back,” she added.
“It’s rare. It’s a fluky injury. Doctors will assure these NFL teams of that and I’m hearing the rehab is going well and is on time.”
Also appearing on Get Up was NFL Insider Adam Schefter. His prognosis of Tagovailoa’s future was a bit less sunny.
“I can tell you in in talking to teams, they are worried there is a chance of recurrence of the hip injury which could impact his draft stock,” Schefter said.
Tagovailoa will make a final decision on his future in the next few weeks.
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Jennifer Withers Hoey is a former Business Development Manager who transitioned to writing about sports. With valuable connections all over the West Coast, she has used those contacts to break some of the most interesting stories pertaining to the Portland Trail Blazers, Oregon Ducks, LA Lakers, LA Clippers, Seattle Supersonics (RIP), and more.
