Top 10 Quarterbacks in the 2020 NFL Draft: No. 2 Tua Tagovailoa
By John Newman
2020 NFL Draft Prediction: Early First-Round pick.
Despite the injuries Tua sustained in 2019, most draft analysts expect he will be drafted in the first round. Several teams in the bottom half of the 2020 NFL Draft seem like prime locations for Tua to land.
His biggest issue may be how his appearance at the Combine goes later this month in Indianapolis. Several reports have indicated his recovery is going well, but NFL teams will want to see for themselves before they invest the draft capital to select him.
The Miami Dolphins are a team that seems like the most ideal landing spot. Head coach Brian Flores will be heading into his second season calling plays, and in 2019 they out-performed most expectations. No team’s front office seemed more intent on “Tanking for Tua” in 2019 than Miami’s. If Flores can get a solid season out of Ryan Fitzpatrick, then he can definitely get a solid career out of Tua.
The Dolphins have three first-round picks in the 2020 NFL Draft and have the draft capital to move to whichever position they want. The fifth pick in the draft is the earliest one they have to spend on Tua and it is unlikely the other teams ahead of them (excluding the Cincinnati Bengals) need a quarterback.
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The Los Angeles Chargers at sixth and the Carolina Panthers at seventh in the draft would also be good fits for Tua, as both are expected to move on from legacy quarterbacks this offseason.
Some analysts think Tua to fall later in the draft, as his current injuries will make him impossible to scout at the Combine. But what Tua has put on tape since 2017 should be enough for most general managers to accept when scouting quarterbacks in the 2020 NFL Draft.
Not being able to guarantee Tua will be 100 percent ready to go come Week 1 in 2020 will be a hurdle some teams won’t be able to overcome. But smart general managers will accept Tua effectively sitting out as a red-shirt rookie in 2020 if it means they get a good shot of getting the player they saw win a National Championship as a freshman.