Alabama QB Tua Tagovailoa Declares for 2020 NFL Draft Despite Hip Injury

Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa will forgo his senior season and declare for the 2020 NFL draft.  

He announced the decision at a press conference Monday alongside his coach, Nick Saban.

"I took into consideration the pros and cons of the situation and the decision," Tagovailoa said, per Joe Schad of the Palm Beach Post. "We prayed a lot about it. This is a decision that I'm going to have to live with. I made it. I'm good with it."

Tagovailoa later took to social media to issue a farewell letter:

Bleacher Report's Matt Miller considers the left-hander the second-best quarterback in the class and the No. 7 overall prospect.

Tagovailoa is coming off an impressive season when he was on the field, totaling 2,840 passing yards and 33 touchdowns with just three interceptions in nine games. The only thing that stopped him was injuries, as an ankle problem limited him early in the year before a dislocated hip ended his season. He underwent surgery to fix his hip in November.

Suddenly a player who was an early favorite to be the No. 1 overall draft pick had question marks about his future.

While he took some time to make his decision, Tagovailoa decided it was best to enter the draft and begin his professional career. He also noted that his path for a return looks promising.

"I don't think any of the doctors can tell the foreseeable future," he said Monday, per Albert Breer of The MMQB. "... Everything looks good, but you can't really tell until the three-month or four-month mark."

This could allow him to compete at the NFL combine three months after his Nov. 18 surgery.

He noted he'll let his trainers decide how much to do before the draft, per Alex Scarborough of ESPN. 

Even with the injuries, many agreed about the decision to turn pro.

A 5-star recruit out of high school, the Hawaii native first burst onto the national scene at the end of the 2017 season. He took over for Jalen Hurts in the second half of the 2018 College Football Playoff National Championship Game, throwing three touchdown passes in the comeback win over Georgia.

The 6'1", 218-pounder didn't slow down when he got the starting job full-time in 2018, finishing with 3,966 passing yards and 43 touchdowns with six interceptions. His 199.5 rating was the best in the country, although he finished second in Heisman Trophy voting behind Kyler Murray.

Even as injuries slowed him down in 2019, he continued to showcase his elite passing ability and comfort within the pocket. Tagovailoa's skill set not only helped Alabama remain a top contender for the national title each season, but it also made pro scouts salivate over his potential.

"Tua has probably has had as much of an impact on our program here as any player that we've ever had," Saban said Monday, per Charlie Potter of 247Sports. "And I'm not just talking about as a football player."

It's unclear how much his injury will affect him in the predraft process, but NFL teams will certainly keep their eyes on him before making a decision in April's draft. 

Mac Jones is the early favorite to be starting quarterback for the Crimson Tide in 2020 after taking over for Tagovailoa last season.  

---

Stick to Football is live! Tua made his big decision to enter the NFL Draft. We break that down and much more!