Tua Tagovailoa was the second quarterback drafted in the 2020 NFL Draft, and according to PFF, Tagovailoa is also the second favorite to win NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. But he’s not the only Alabama player named. Henry Ruggs III and Jerry Jeudy were also listed in the top 10 on PFF’s list to win offensive Rookie of the Year for the upcoming NFL season.
Will Joe Burrow be the 2020 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year?@PFF_Anthony:https://t.co/gFHSRpJg3N
— PFF (@PFF) May 8, 2020
Tagovailoa, who was drafted by the Miami Dolphins as the 5th overall pick of the 2020 NFL Draft, looks to be the quarterback the Dolphins have been wishing for, for years. Whether or not he will be playing this season remains unknown, but if he does, PFF thinks he has a fantastic chance of making an impressive debut rookie season in the NFL. So much so, they have him as having the second best chances of winning the award.
“The situation Tagovailoa finds himself in is nowhere near as good as Burrow’s, and there are still some question marks surrounding his health and whether or not he will even play early on, but Tagovailoa has the traits to succeed in the NFL — even when playing in an offense like Miami’s.
DeVante Parker is coming off a career year in terms of PFF grade and will arguably have the best quarterback he’s ever had throwing him the ball in 2020, assuming Tagovailoa plays. The former Crimson Tide star was the only college quarterback to produce elite passing grades in each of the last two years. He and Joe Burrow were the only quarterbacks who produced top-15 negatively and positively graded play rates in that same span.”
Last season at Alabama, Tagovailoa threw for 2,840 yards, 33 touchdowns and 3 interceptions before a season-ending injury against Mississippi State.
Alabama WR Henry Ruggs III sits in 5th place in PFF’s OROY rankings, and is the top wide receiver on the list:
“Vegas went all-in on Ruggs with their 12th overall pick, and he’ll provide an immediate boost to a wide receiver corps that ranked 31st in team receiving grade last year.
With his ability to both make plays in traffic and produce after the catch, Ruggs is going to fit like a glove in his team’s West Coast offense. Almost half of Derek Carr’s passes last year were horizontal-lead passes — throws that lead the receiver across the field, a staple of the West Coast offense — and Ruggs did his best work on such plays at Alabama. On his horizontal lead targets, Ruggs burnt off a 20-yard gain on 34.5% of his opportunities; he also averaged an FBS-best 12.1 yards after the catch per reception and generated a near-perfect 154.1 passer rating when targeted.”
Last season, Ruggs recorded an impressive 40 receptions for 746 yards and 7 TDs. In his career at Alabama, he had 98 receptions for 1,716 yards and 24 touchdowns. He also had a rushing touchdown.
Alabama WR Jerry Jeudy also cracked the top 10, sitting at number 9 on PFF’s list:
“Jeudy falls behind Shenault and Lamb not only because he has to share targets with Courtland Sutton and K.J. Hamler, but also because Drew Lock still has a lot to prove after he produced just a 56.9 passing grade in his rookie campaign.
Jeudy was our WR1 entering the draft, so it goes without saying that we believe he has the ability to overcome both the potential lack of targets and the possible quarterback issues. As it says in PFF’s 2020 NFL Draft Guide, he’s a threat to house it from anywhere on the field — he’s been responsible for 29 20-plus-yard plays since 2018, the most in the FBS over that period. And with his refined route running and ability to separate, Jeudy has the potential to put up similar numbers for the Broncos.”
Jeudy also recorded impressive stats for the Crimson Tide. Last season, he recorded 77 receptions for 1,163 yards and 10 TDs. In his career, he finished with 159 receptions for 2,742 yards and 26 touchdowns.
PFF named former LSU and Heisman trophy winner Joe Burrow as being the favorite to win offensive rookie of the year, but time will tell.
Here are the top 10:
- QB, Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals
- QB, Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins
- RB, Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts
- RB, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Kansas City Chiefs
- WR, Henry Ruggs III, Las Vegas Raiders
- QB, Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers
- WR, Laviska Shenault Jr, Jacksonville Jaguars
- WR, CeeCee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys
- WR, Jerry Jeudy, Denver Broncos
- WR, Brandon Aiyuk, San Francisco 49ers
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