Video: Rex Ryan Compares Tua Tagovailoa to Drew Brees Ahead of 2020 NFL Draft

Former NFL head coach Rex Ryan heaped praise on 2020 NFL draft prospect Tua Tagovailoa during an appearance on ESPN's Get Up! on Wednesday.

As seen in the following video, he compared Tagovailoa to New Orleans Saints quarterback and future Hall of Famer Drew Brees:

While LSU quarterback and reigning Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow is widely considered the top signal-caller in this month's draft and the likely selection of the Cincinnati Bengals at No. 1 overall, Tua figures to battle with Oregon's Justin Herbert to be the second quarterback off the board.

Ryan noted Tua's accuracy and his ability to move the pocket was Brees-like. The Saints QB is the NFL's all-time leader in passing yardage and passing touchdowns.

Even so, Ryan acknowledged that drafting Tagovailoa is a risk because of his injury history. Ryan said he was told that Tua has undergone five different surgeries.

At Alabama, Tua had tightrope procedures on his ankles in 2018 and 2019, and last season was cut short for him when he underwent season-ending hip surgery.

Tagovailoa appears to be on the right track heath-wise, however, as the results of his medical recheck last week were "overwhelmingly positive," per ESPN's Laura Rutledge.

When healthy, Tua is a special talent. He finished second in the Heisman Trophy voting in 2018 and was well on his way to being a finalist last year before getting injured.

In 2018, he completed 69.0 percent of his passes for 3,966 yards, 43 touchdowns and six interceptions in 15 games. He followed that up by completing 71.4 percent of his attempts for 2,840 yards, 33 touchdowns and three picks in nine contests.

Tua is also a proven winner. He played in two College Football Playoff National Championship Games and won a title during his time with the Crimson Tide.

Assuming Burrow goes first overall, Tua figures to be a target for the Miami Dolphins at No. 5 or the Los Angeles Chargers at No. 6. Or a squad could attempt to leapfrog both of those teams via trade.

Because of his combination of talent and his durability issues, Tagovailoa feels like a boom-or-bust prospect, meaning his selection will be among the most highly scrutinized during the draft and in the years that follow.