CHECK OUT THE REST OF THE ZONE COVERAGE DRAFT GUIDE:
TOP 100 PLAYER PROFILES
RANKING THE VIKINGS NEEDS
EXPLORING VIKINGS DRAFT TRENDS
A HISTORY OF RICK SPIELMAN’S DRAFT TRADES
VIKINGS TARGETS
LUKE INMAN’S MOCK DRAFTS
SENIOR BOWL CENTRAL
FEATURES FROM OUR STAFF
TUA TAGOVAILOA
HEIGHT/WEIGHT/AGE
6-foot-0
217 pounds
22 years old
BIG PICTURE
Supremely-gifted left-handed quarterback that should be the second passer taken in the draft — and perhaps coveted by a team looking to trade up. Was a five-star recruit of Hawaii and became an instant legend at the end of the 2017 season when he replaced Jalen Hurts at halftime of the National Championship game and led Alabama to an overtime victory. Proceeded to throw 76 touchdowns and nine interceptions over the next two years but saw his juniors season cut short by a serious hip injury that kept him from offseason workouts and may give teams an ounce of pause. Still, he’s a mobile quarterback with pocket poise that could become the face of an NFL franchise.
COMBINE NOTABLES
DNP
VIKINGS’ COMPATIBILITY RANKING
1 out of 5. Technically the Vikings have the draft capital to make a gigantic splash, but after extending Kirk Cousins — and having numerous holes to fill on defense — this is not the time to sacrifice myriad picks.
HIGHLIGHTS
WHAT DRAFT EXPERTS SAY
Lance Zierlein, NFL.com: “Talented dual-threat quarterback with winning background, explosive production and loads of experience in high-leverage games. He may be pigeon-holed into a spread or RPO-heavy attack, but he’s actually a clean fit in a pro-style attack filled with play-action and roll-outs. He has the release, accuracy and touch needed to work all three levels successfully and can become a more disciplined, full-field reader to piece the puzzle together against NFL coverages. He needs better poise when pressured, but his escapability not only moves the chains, it creates chunk plays in the air and on the ground. Teams assessing his draft value will need to sift through mounting durability concerns and decide whether he is a “face of the franchise” talent without the abundance of talent surrounding him.”
Kyle Crabbs, Draft Network: “Tua Tagovailoa’s only question falls onto his durability after suffering multiple ankle injuries and a dislocated hip. His exposure and mastery of 2018 vertical offense and 2019 [West Coast Offense] concepts in Alabama offense provide easy projection to the pros — he’s an elite passer with rare intangibles, short area quickness and accuracy. Tagovailoa has never met a stage that was too big, either. This is a face of a franchise player who, if healthy, will be an elite quarterback soon before long.”
WHAT PFF SAYS
7th in adjusted completion percentage
T-73rd in depth of target
1st in fewest sacks taken
CHECK OUT THE REST OF THE ZONE COVERAGE DRAFT GUIDE:
TOP 100 PLAYER PROFILES
RANKING THE VIKINGS NEEDS
EXPLORING VIKINGS DRAFT TRENDS
A HISTORY OF RICK SPIELMAN’S DRAFT TRADES
VIKINGS TARGETS
LUKE INMAN’S MOCK DRAFTS
SENIOR BOWL CENTRAL
FEATURES FROM OUR STAFF
