On Monday, Alabama junior quarterback Tua Tagovailoa announced that he would be entering the 2020 NFL draft. That news is significant because there were some concerns that he may return to Alabama after suffering a hip injury that ended his 2019 season.
With Tagovailoa now in the draft, there are several talented passers that could be selected inside of the top-15 picks. But with Tagovaila’s questionable injury history, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him fall to pick No. 12.
If that were the case, should the Raiders have interest in the former Crimson Tide quarterback? That question may be difficult to answer. But here is the case why the team should consider drafting him.
Before getting injured, it appeared Tagovailoa was on his way to becoming the first overall pick in the 2020 draft. In fact, it seemed like multiple teams in the NFL, including the Bengals and Dolphins, were tanking in order to acquire Tagovailoa because he was an elite quarterback prospect.
During his three years with Alabama, Tagovailoa completed nearly 70 percent of his passes, averaging an incredible 10.9 yards per attempt. He is college football’s career leader in passing efficiency, but he also has the mobility to beat defenders with his legs.
If it weren’t for the hip injury, the Raiders would have no chance of selecting a player of Tagovailoa’s caliber at pick No. 12. In most drafts, he would have been the No. 1 pick, if he were healthy.
The Raiders also have the added benefit of having a proven quarterback under contract in Derek Carr, meaning they could allow Tagovailoa to sit and rehab until he is 100 percent healthy. And with how cheap rookie contracts are now in the NFL, allowing Tagovailoa to sit and wait wouldn’t be the worst idea in the world.
There is a solid chance that the Raiders won’t get the opportunity to make this decision as several teams could select him before pick No. 12. But if Tagovailoa is available for Mike Mayock and Jon Gruden, don’t expect them to pass him up. He’s just too talented of a player to miss out on.
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