Tua Tagovailoa was once considered the favorite to be taken with the first overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, but his stock has taken a dip in the wake of a serious hip injury that required surgery and ended his season. Some have wondered if that could inspire the quarterback to return to Alabama for his senior season, but his plans reportedly have not changed.
Tagovailoa has still been telling those close to him that he plans to enter the NFL Draft, Tony Pauline of Pro Football Network reported this week. The sources Pauline spoke with described the chances of Tagovailoa playing another season at Alabama “very, very slim.”
There were initially concerns that Tagovailoa’s hip injury could threaten his playing career, as it has been compared to the one that ended Bo Jackson’s NFL career in the 1990s. However, the doctor who performed surgery on Tagovailoa said the circumstances are much different, and Tua is expected to make a complete recovery.
Assuming all goes well with his rehab, Tagovailoa would probably be taking a bigger risk by returning for his senior season. He has already undergone multiple surgeries during his time with Alabama, and another severe injury next season would almost certainly scare teams away. As it stands now, many teams still seem interested in Tagovailoa as a first-round pick.
