At this point in the offseason, it is no secret that the Panthers need to figure out what they’re doing at quarterback. The prevailing opinion among Carolina fans on social media is to keep Cam Newton. However, team owner David Tepper seems to keep hinting at a total rebuild, in which case Newton would likely be traded. If that is the case, then they will need to fill the void at quarterback somehow.
Fortunately, 2020 offers a lot of possibilities. They could go after one of several high quality options who are about to become free agents or see more of what they have in 2019 third-round pick Will Grier. Most likley they would try to find a new franchise QB in this year’s draft, though.
We have already profiled Oregon’s Justin Herbert. Now, let’s take a look at one of the other top passers in this class: Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa.
Scouting Report:
Tagovailoa (6-foot-1, 218 pounds) has been one of the top quarterbacks in college football over the past three years. Leading a loaded Alabama offense certainly did not hurt, but Tua has shown characteristics that prove he can be an elite QB at the next level. His accuracy, ball placement, mental processing, anticipation and pocket awareness are all tremendous. These traits are extremely important to make a smooth transition to the NFL.
However, Tagovailoa does have his share of question marks. His injury history is the major one after he suffered a dislocated hip this past season. There is also some concern that he does not have the arm strength to push the ball down the field vertically and put that extra zip on the ball to squeeze a throw into a tight window.
Highlights
Tagovailoa vs. Ole Miss
Tagovailoa vs. South Carolina
Tagovailoa vs. LSU
Tagovailoa vs. Oklahoma
Tagovailoa vs. Tennessee
Tagovailoa vs. New Mexico St.
Tagovailoa vs. Auburn
Tagovailoa vs. Georgia
College numbers:
In 32 games at Alabama, Tagovailoa totaled 7,442 passing yards, 87 touchdowns, 11 interceptions and a 199.4 passer rating. He completed 69.3% of his passes and averaged 10.9 yards per attempt. As a rusher, he added another 340 yards and nine touchdowns on 107 carries.
Fit with the Panthers:
Tagovailoa would make an excellent fit with the re-building Panthers and new offensive coordinator Joe Brady. However, it is hard to imagine the team trading up to acquire him.
In order for Tua to fall to No. 7 he would have to fail his medical testing at the NFL Scouting Combine and not participate in the drills, which would be a disaster. However, if he is fine physically and does well in the drills, most likely his draft stock will rise to a place that’s just out of Carolina’s reach.
The Panthers have a ton of holes on their roster that need to be filled and they need all the draft capital they can get. Staying put at No. 7 or even trading back to acquire more picks is probably the better move.
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