Weaknesses
In terms of scanning the field, Tagovailoa is well ahead of where most quarterback prospects are when they enter the pros. He does, however, have an occasional blind spot when it comes to looking off linebackers and safeties at the second and third levels, and this was the primary source of the few mistakes he made at the collegiate level.
Tagovailoa’s accuracy on intermediate passes is not always perfect, with most of his misses coming as a result of lazy footwork or in instances when he rushed his throw because of pressure from the defense.
The big question surrounding Tagovailoa, though, is the long-term prognosis of his hip. He is expected to make a full recovery from the surgery he underwent to repair the damage, and, per ESPN’s Mark Schlabach, there is hope he can resume throwing by spring.
Yet if the medicals throw up anything that scares off NFL teams, Tagovailoa could be looking at an unfortunate draft-day slide.
Verdict
At full health, there is absolutely no doubt Tagovailoa has everything it takes to a premier quarterback at the NFL level. His reading of the field and footwork could use some fine-tuning but, Burrow aside, no quarterback in the class can claim to be as pro-ready as Tagovailoa.
Tagovailoa has the potential to develop into one of the most dynamic quarterbacks in the NFL. He is worthy of the hype, and, as long as the medicals come back clean, expect to hear his name very early on day one of the draft.