With The First Pick
Fansided

2020 NFL Draft: 6 Candidates to select Tua Tagovailoa

By Nicholas McGee

TUSCALOOSA, ALABAMA - NOVEMBER 09: Tua Tagovailoa #13 of the Alabama Crimson Tide looks to pass during the second half against the LSU Tigers in the game at Bryant-Denny Stadium on November 09, 2019 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)
TUSCALOOSA, ALABAMA - NOVEMBER 09: Tua Tagovailoa #13 of the Alabama Crimson Tide looks to pass during the second half against the LSU Tigers in the game at Bryant-Denny Stadium on November 09, 2019 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
1 of 6
Next

Tua Tagovailoa has yet to decide if he will enter the 2020 NFL Draft. If he does, these six teams could all have their eyes on the Alabama quarterback.

Tua Tagovailoa is unsure whether he will enter the 2020 NFL Draft but, as he recovers from the hip injury that ended his 2019 season, it seems obvious little would be gained from him returning to Alabama, beyond further cementing a legacy already secured.

Tagovailoa, in an interview with The Tuscaloosa News (h/t Sports Illustrated), discussed the possibility of potentially going back to Alabama and putting himself in a position to be a top-five pick in 2021.

His hip dislocation ended any hope of him being selected that high in 2020; however, by playing another year in college, Tagovailoa would risk re-injuring the hip while still not receiving a salary.

Tagovailoa’s best option is to head to the pros, where he can be paid while he continues his recovery, with their unlikely to be much pressure for him to play right away.

Which organizations are likely to consider taking a chance on Tagovailoa? Here we look at six candidates.

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – DECEMBER 01: Kyle Allen #7 of the Carolina Panthers throws the ball during the second quarter during their game against the Washington Redskins at Bank of America Stadium on December 01, 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – DECEMBER 01: Kyle Allen #7 of the Carolina Panthers throws the ball during the second quarter during their game against the Washington Redskins at Bank of America Stadium on December 01, 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images) /

Carolina Panthers

With Ron Rivera gone and owner David Tepper talking up further changes throughout the football operation, it appears to be rebuild time in Carolina.

Much will depend on who is running the show by the time the draft rolls around in April, but the Panthers — who are expected to move on from Cam Newton — would be a logical landing spot for Tagovailoa, given they have a viable starter in Kyle Allen who he can sit behind as he gets back to football shape.

Carolina is unlikely to want to spend its first pick on a player coming off such a serious injury but, should the Panthers focus their energy elsewhere in the opening round, they could well take a shot on him in the second and look to excite the fanbase at the start of the likely post-Newton era.

Home/NFL Draft News