2020 NFL Draft: ESPN's Mel Kiper Ranks Tua Tagovailoa as No. 3 QB After Injury

Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was not only one of the top players in college football before his season-ending hip injury on Saturday, he was also one of the top prospects in the 2020 NFL draft.

ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. broke down how the injury might affect his draft stock during SportsCenter on Sunday morning:

"When you look at where Tua is ranked right now currently with the injury situation the way it is, I would have Joe Burrow, LSU, as the No. 1 quarterback. I would have Justin Herbert, Oregon, No. 2. And Tua at three, could become two. I think Joe Burrow was going to be No. 1 regardless of what transpired. Then, you factor in and complicate the matters is the injury... these lower extremity injuries are a concern when you're battling two other quarterbacks who are very highly regarded and are both having really great years as Burrow and Herbert are. It puts you in the position where instead of being No. 1, maybe even No. 2, you're No. 3. But you're still right now would be in the Top 10, but obviously the medical situation has to play out and we have to get more answers and see how the rehab goes moving forward into late April."

In his last big board on Nov. 15, B/R's Matt Miller had Tagovailoa at No. 5, behind Ohio State edge-rusher Chase Young, Burrow, Alabama wideout Jerry Jeudy and Ohio State cornerback Jeff Okudah. 

Granted, Tagovailoa could always choose to return to Alabama for his senior season if he makes a full recovery and is able to play next season. On one hand, such a decision may help his draft stock and vault him back atop the big board for the 2021 draft.

On the other, he'd be risking another injury that could put his professional earning potential at risk. Such are the gambles that players in an amateurism model face.

When healthy this year, Tagovailoa was fantastic and a Heisman contender. He threw for 2,840 yards, 33 touchdowns and just three interceptions, completing 71.4 percent of his passes. He also added two rushing scores. 

There's little doubt that Tagovailoa has NFL talent, no matter where he ends up getting drafted. But the conversation surrounding Tagovailoa will become more complicated with this injury, depending on the severity of it, especially considering he was already playing on a surgically-repaired ankle. 

"We hate it that he got injured. We hate it for him. We hate it for his family. I hate it when any player on our team gets injured," head coach Nick Saban said, per ESPN. "So Godspeed to him and his entire family, and our thoughts and prayers are with them and hope this is not so serious it has any long-term effect on his future as a player."

It's unclear just how much this injury will affect Tagovailoa's football future. But it's hard to imagine it won't unfortunately have some effect on his draft stock.