Tua Tagovailoa Off Draft Boards for Three Teams
Perhaps Tua Tagovailoa will end up an early first-round selection in next week's NFL draft as most suspected at the outset of the offseason. However, lingering concerns about the former Alabama quarterback's health have cast doubt as to how early a team will take him. A new report from The Athletic's Bob McGinn reveals that three teams have removed Tagovailoa from their draft board entirely.
"He's a great college player but, wow, he is fragile," an AFC personnel evaluator told McGinn. "He's a super kid and I don't wish ill will, but there's three, four, or five red flags staring us all in the face saying, 'You know what? This guy's not going to be all that he's cracked up to be."
Tagovailoa suffered a severe hip dislocation last season against Mississippi State. The injury and the subsequent surgery required him to miss the rest of his 2019 season. Though he has made strides in his recovery, it remains unclear whether an NFL team would clear his hip for full contact at this time.
But while the hip remains the most notable red flag with Tagovailoa, he has others. Tagovailoa has also gone under the knife for two separate high-ankle sprains (one on each side), a sprained knee, and an injured hand. And with a 6-foot, 217-pound frame, teams will have questions about Tagovailoa's ability to absorb hits at the next level.
Of course, Tagovailoa and his representatives have spent the entire offseason working to assuage those concerns. Tagovailoa declared himself "100%" recovered earlier in April while his agents leaked workout footage last week.
"That's all agent stuff," a different AFC talent evaluator told McGinn of the workout video. "I'm playing the odds. I don't want to put my whole franchise on a left-handed, beat-up, 6-foot quarterback. No thank you."
Where the Los Angeles Chargers, who appear likely to select a signal-caller in next week's draft, fall on Tagovailoa remains unclear. During a conference call with media on Friday, general manager Tom Telesco declined to comment on any individual prospect. However, he did note that durability ranks "very, very high" on what the team looks for in the evaluation process. If so, Los Angeles might view an oft-injured quarterback like Tagovailoa as too significant a risk to take with the No. 6 overall pick.
-- Jason B. Hirschhorn is an award-winning sports journalist and Pro Football Writers of America member. Follow him on Twitter: @by_JBH
