Just A Minute: Don't Buy The Talk That Tua Tagovailoa's Draft Stock is Dropping

If you've been paying attention to the hype surrounding next week's NFL draft, you've probably heard the sudden negative talk about former Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.

For example, one-time NFL general manager Mike Lombardi called him "brittle," and claimed an NFL team doesn't have him on its draft board due to his injury history.

Former Dolphins and Jets executive Mike Tannenbaum told the South Florida Sun Sentinel that that "It would be irresponsible to take him in the top 10."

Former Jets and Bills coach Rex Ryan called him "the biggest gamble in the history of the NFL Draft."

A little dramatic, but ok.

Let's start with the facts.

Tagovailoa was cleared by doctors after his hip surgery to run and begin football activities on March 9.

He's moving around. He's exceeded expectations. He's finally healthy agin.

He's by far the most accurate passer in the draft.

Tagovailoa also underwent a followup medical exam from an independent doctor agreed upon by NFL team physicians and the results were “overwhelmingly positive.”

Yes, he also had a pair of surgeries to get him back quickly from a pair of high-ankle sprains. Note that he didn't have to have those procedures, and a big reason why he did was that they're designed to help prevent injuries down the road.

My favorite one is when people bring up the hand fracture suffered on the first day of spring football, and suggest it means he's fragile. I'll tell you what, you let me hit you in the hand with a hammer, and then you tell me you're not fragile. Because that's it can be like to get struck there while reaching for a fumble.

What also tells me that this has essentially been coordinated attack is the talk that Tagovailoa was surrounded by a lot of top-notch players who made him look good. That's so ridiculous it doesn't even warrant a response except to point out that the talent in the NFL is better than the collegiate ranks across the board.

Ryan's right in that Tagovailoa is a gamble because he missed the end of last season after suffering a dislocated hip, and teams can't work him out during the coronavirus pandemic. If he's a top-five pick he'll land a four-year $30 million guaranteed contract, a big part of which will be as a signing bonus. So he's an expensive risk.

But consider a couple of things:

1) The timing. This is the middle of the time period for disinformation. It's only been almost half a year since Tagovailoa's hip injury, a long time for no one to make these kinds of objections before now.

2) What are the chances the teams bad-mouthing Tagovailoa either want him to drop in the draft, or don't want him in their division? Probably pretty good.

A fair criticism of Tagovailoa is to say he needs to get rid of the baller quicker, which will be the first thing that gets drilled into his skull as a professional.

All this other rhetoric? I can guarantee what his agent is telling him: Don't listen to it.

Christopher Walsh covered three NFL teams before Alabama.

For more on Tua Tagovailoa's recent workout, check out the MMQB story by Albert Breer on how former Super Bowl champion Trent Dilfer was tasked with putting together a pre-draft program for Tua Tagovailoa that not only prepared him for a virtual pro day but for a 15-year career.