Tua Tagovailoa was an elite quarterback during his time at Alabama. However, he suffered a couple of serious injuries that put a damper on his seasons.

He was the No. 5 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, going to the Miami Dolphins, but many analysts raised concerns about Tua’s durability.

But, NFL legend Deion Sanders doesn’t want to hear it. During a recent podcast appearance, he defended Tagovailoa and said he wasn’t injury-prone (via 247Sports):

“The Tua that I’ve seen at Alabama since him stepping onto the scene has been wonderful,” Sanders said on a recent episode of Move The Sticks. “He stood, he delivered. He’s exceeded expectations. He’s taken them where they wanted to go, and then farther.

“Yeah, he sustained an injury trying to make a darn play. He’s not injury prone. This guy is a flat-out winner. He’s smart. He’s professional. He’s articulate. He’s going to say the right things. He’s going to enhance the organization. He’s going to stand up in the press conference and say and speak the truth. He’s going to praise the Lord. I love everything about this kid. I think he’s going to be a phenomenal success in Miami.”

Even with Sanders defending him, Tua will have a lot of eyes on him this season, wondering if he can hold up at the NFL level.

We’ll find out soon enough if he shows as much talent with the Dolphins as he did at Alabama.