With the 2020 NFL Draft just days away, predictions are flying. NBC Sports’ Peter King has predicted that the New England Patriots will get a quarterback in the first round of his one and only mock draft.
King has a scenario in which the Patriots could swing a deal for the 13th overall pick from the San Francisco 49ers. They then could use that pick to draft Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.
Tagovailoa had an outstanding career for the University of Alabama. In three seasons of play, he totaled over 7,000 passing yards. His best season statistically came in 2018 as a sophomore. He played in 15 games and recorded 3,966 passing yards, 43 touchdowns, and six interceptions.
His best game that season came on September 22 against Texas A&M. In that game, he went 22-of-30 on the afternoon, throwing for 387 yards, and four touchdowns. He also proved to be somewhat of a factor on the ground in that game, recording four rushing attempts for 10 yards.
Tagovailoa had his best season in terms of accolades in 2018 as well. He won the National Championship, was the Sporting News Player of the Year, and won the Maxwell and Walter Camp Awards. He was also named the SEC Offensive Player of the Year, and was a Consensus All-American.
King had this to say about the opportunity for the Patriots drafting Tagovailoa.
So Tagovailoa could drop, and Bill Belichick really doesn’t want to take a quarterback now, with one draft pick in the top 85 this year and needs all over his roster. And truly: I have no indication, no inside information, that says he’d do this. It’s simply a guess. But think if you’re Belichick. Because your team never finishes 3-13, you never have a chance to get one of the best quarterbacks in the college game. Until Tagovailoa’s hip popped out of the socket last November, forcing immediate and urgent surgery, he was 1/1A with the transcendent Joe Burrow to be the first pick in this draft. And you don’t want to pillage the lone first or lone second-round pick from next year’s draft. But do you do it for a great but pockmarked talent such as Tagovailoa five months after major hip surgery? I do know Belichick would have confidence in his player-procurement skills.
“… Tough call for a franchise, but when would the Patriots ever get a shot at a potential superstar quarterback? Even if they had to throw in next year’s first-rounder, I think this would be a risk worth taking for the Patriots.”
Tagovailoa would certainly be a draft pick that could help vault the new-look New England offense into success. There has been little doubt that the Patriots will draft a quarterback in the first round. Who they will draft is anybody’s guess.
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