The decision is in: Tua Tagovailoa announces his plans for the 2020 season
After much thought and prayer, Tua Tagovailoa has made his decision — he’s leaving school early for the 2020 NFL Draft.
Alabama held a press conference to announce the decision on Monday, which was attended by Nick Saban.
During his three seasons in Tuscaloosa, Tagovailoa completed 69.3 percent of his passes and threw for 7,442 yards and 87 touchdowns with only 11 interceptions. He also rushed for 340 yards and nine touchdowns. Tagovailoa was also the runner-up in the 2018 Heisman Trophy voting.
The Crimson Tide have a record of 23-2 in games started by Tagovailoa during his Alabama career. His biggest moment, however, came off the bench as Tua replaced Jalen Hurts in the lineup during the College Football Playoff National Championship Game against Georgia to end the 2017 season. In that appearance, Tagovailoa threw arguably the most memorable pass in Alabama history, the walk-off touchdown pass to DeVonta Smith to win the national championship in overtime.
Tagovailoa joins a growing list of Alabama players leaving school early for the 2020 NFL Draft as receiver Jerry Jeudy, right tackle Jedrick Wills and safety Xavier McKinney have all declared early. Receiver Henry Ruggs and running back Najee Harris are also expected to do the same.
The only issue moving forward for Tagovailoa now is continuing his rehab after suffering his tough hip injury. Had he not suffered that injury, he likely would enter the offseason battling Joe Burrow for the right to be the No. 1 overall selection in the 2020 NFL Draft.
With this news, the Crimson Tide will likely have an open competition for the program’s next starting signal-caller with Mac Jones, Tua’s younger brother, Taulia Tagovailoa, redshirt freshman Paul Tyson and true freshman Bryce Young set to compete for the spot heading into spring practice.
Thanks for your time here at Alabama. Great player and athlete. Good Luck at the next level young man.
Can’t wait to see the QB battle this spring and fall. Epic.
He’s a Bengal.
I hope so! They’re my childhood team and it’s been a rough for a very, very long time.
Make that a Dolphin. Burrow to the Bengals in every single mock draft I’ve seen.
I haven’t seen all of them, but everyone I have read has Burrow to the Bengals, and Tua probably to the Dolphins.
I agree. I don’t think Cincy takes Tua number 1 with the hip issue. There’s no guarantee he’s the same after. He might slip into the later rounds. Maybe to New England lol.
Anybody but New England!
Yeah, I don’t think you can pass on him. Maybe Burrows goes 1st. But can you imagine the repercussions of not taking him and then he becomes what Drew Brees is to Miami?
Absolutely agree! Can you imagine how hard the Chicago Bears are kicking themselves for drafting Trubisky and passing on Deshaun Watson??
But on the other hand could you imagine how much it would set your franchise back if you invest a top 5 pick on a guy who’s essentially ended on that injury? Hip injuries are so hard to predict recovery outcomes on. It could be that he’s as good as ever and it could be that he never plays again and it could be somewhere in between. Top 5 is a scary place to take a risk with that much variance.
I know. But that would be a lot easier to justify with the fan base than the other scenario.
That’s such a great point. Do you use a top 5 pick on a player with a major injury? Definitely risk involved, but the reward could alter the course of an entire franchise.
There is just no way to know. Who knows? Maybe he comes back from the injury to play in the NFL and he turns out to be just average?
I personally don’t see that happening, but nobody this side of Heaven knows.
I personally hope he goes to the Dolphins (my team since the 70’s) and creates a Patriots like dynasty.
We just need the next Don Shula.
At least the draft isn’t until April and there will be a lot more learned about the hip by then.
These programs have millions of dollars to make mistakes with. Remember Jamarcus Russell, spelling may be off. Trent Richardson was another can’t miss that ended poorly. Several bust. Hopefully Tua does well and heals up. Good dude and a great talent.
How did those teams do after make those picks?
Those teams haven’t been good in a long time.
But some teams make good top picks and get better. Other teams make bad and risky top picks and they end up in the gutter even longer.
I hope not that’s where QB’s go to die
Dalton’s been there for about a decade. If nothing else they’d be loyal to him through it all.
I wonder if Jesus was on the NFL or staying at Bama side?
I don’t know if you’ve watched football the last 12 years or so but God is clearly an Alabama fan.
He is definitely not a Georgia fan I know that.
Hahaha! Perfect response!
The whole state is cursed since the Devil went down to Georgia.
He don’t appear to care much for New Orleans either.
I wish absolutely nothing but the best of luck to him.
And now the ripple effect starts. Fromm might well decide to come back now that Tua’s departure is set.
Fromm had a down season (not entirely his fault), and while I think he could go to the league now and do well, I think another season in Athens would help his draft stock. Just my two cents.
With Tua in it now he’d be the 4th/5th QB instead of the 3rd at best. I think he’ll stay where he can be the 3rd behind Lawrence and Fields in the 2020 draft. Chances to get drafted in the first round are much better as the 3rd QB instead of the 4th/5th. As the 3rd QB there’s a chance you’re getting drafted to a contender with an aging QB. Maybe New Orleans or New England.
Fromm is the most polarizing player when it comes to mock drafts. He goes anywhere from rounds 1-3. With Tua gone I’d expect him to stay another year with one less elite QB in the 2021 draft class now.
Tua’s decision shouldn’t affect Fromm because a team that wants Fromm wants his intangibles and football IQ. The only other QB that offers that in this draft is Burrow.
I think Fromm will get the exact same evaluation Drew Lock received after his JR year. You’ll get drafted somewhere, sure, but stay in school another year and try to solidify yourself as a 1st or 2nd rounder.
Probably his best option; another season in Tuscaloosa and he risks injury, potentially career-ending, with no money to show for it.
Thanks for the victories, Tua. Good luck to ya.
Great young man. I hope he achieves all of his dreams and goals not only in the NFL, but in life in general. So young, so much talent and so many possibilities.
Great man and wishing him well for the NFL and praying that he completely recovers.
He was amazing at Bama and I wish him the best at the next level.
Now the fun question, does Bryce young start day 1?
I think it’s a given unless he shows he can’t compete in spring practice. Tua’s brother Taulia is very good too so I feel badly for him. He’s shown flashes of greatness the few times he’s stepped on the field. I imagine there will be some QB transfers from Alabama in the next 12 months.
Oooh, I would love it. Saban has started the true freshman before with Hurts.
With that said, he will go with Mike McCorckle Jones.
I believe Mac will start for Bama next season..
I think we get the Mac Attack in 2020.
I’m seeing some mixed opinions. Is he enrolling early? I would think so. If he is, I think he’s the day 1 starter. Mac Jones is great and all but i think Young does a lot of things better than Mac does.
He will enroll early… He hasn’t taken a snap yet for Bama so not sure what he does better than Mac.
He’s a better pure passer and runner. I’m telling you this kid is the real deal.
I definitely believe he has a higher ceiling but it’s still unknown how long it will take him to learn the playbook and command the offense..
Mac already has that ability and he is no slouch..
Bryce is like a Tua/Kyler hybrid and racked up stats at Mater Dei. He’s got all the accolades l you could ask for, but he’s rather slender.
Someone better set up a suicide watch for that David guy that wrote the other article about his “sweet Hawaiian prince” following God’s plan to stay at Bama for another year.
Don’t tell Connor…
I also sorry, wrong reporter.
Best of luck, young man. Thanks for the memories !!!
I worry about who the backup QB is. IDK why.
He made the best choice, go get the money, don’t risk another injury in college. Plus our QB room is full, though we’d all love to see Tua play another year we have enough QB’s ready to play now. With Bryce Young coming in, everyone knows he will be the starter unless he just falls flat on his face during the spring. So it’ll be an interesting QB battle the next year.
I’d love to see him play another year but don’t blame him even a little bit for going. He’s a special player and I’ll miss not seeing him zip that ball around.
I hope everything works out for Tua…as far as Bama goes…they will be more than ok at qb…Mac Jones is more than capable…I don’t know how highly regarded Tua’s brother is…but they also have him and Young coming in next yr…so Saban has a lot of good options…like he always seems to…it’s going to be a fun year in sec next year…a lot of new faces on most teams… there’s going to be as many as 6 teams I think that could win the sec…
They also redshirted Paul Tyson this last season.
His brother?
So now there are tow of them? Ouch.
At least I am not too worried about any NFL team. Go make your Millions!