Tua Tagovailoa - Scouting Profile
By: Schwartz
Tuanigamanuolepola (his full first name) Tagovailoa is an absolutely special prospect. The Samoan/Hawaiian quarterback introduced himself to the football world when he took over for Jalen Hurts at halftime of the CFP championship game, leading Alabama to a come-from-behind win over Georgia and another title. Tua’s detractors will point to the top-level offensive talent that has surrounded him for his entire career as misleading in terms of his actual talent. Sure, Calvin Ridley was a first-round pick and Jerry Jeudy will soon be too, with Henry Ruggs III not too far behind. Tight end Irv Smith Jr., running backs Josh Jacobs and Damien Harris, and left tackle Jonah Williams were some of the other elite support Tua has had. However, as I learned from my deep dive into the tape, Tua was the key motor driving the offense forward.
I already knew about Tua’s elite accuracy - his 65.7% completion ranked top 5 in all of college football and his deep ball precision is magical at times. Tua’s anticipation flashes on film, as he showed time and time again the ability to lead his receivers to the right spot with timing throws. He gets rid of the ball really quickly which allows him to get it to his receivers before the window closes. Tua’s touch on deep-ball throws is incredibly impressive as well, as he consistently delivered accurate and on-time passes to his receivers 30+ yards down the field. Sure, it’s easier to make those throws when it’s Jerry Jeudy deep down the right sideline, but Tua’s deep ball is a thing of beauty. I knew about Tua’s natural pocket presence, as well. He is jittery in his movements, and yet at the same time cool as a cucumber as he lets the play develop around him. Tua’s footwork is precise and in-rhythm with the play, as he finds himself space to set his feet and deliver accurate throws. I also knew about Tua’s mobility, as Alabama has found great success running RPO plays during his tenure, with his presence allowing the offense to introduce an element that past Alabama teams had not featured. In the NFL, play-callers may be hesitant to call designed run plays due to Tua’s questionable durability, but he certainly has the ability to improvise and pick up yardage with his legs.
What I didn’t expect to see in Tua’s tape was one of the most cerebrally proficient college quarterbacks I have ever watched. Seriously, the way this kid approaches the game from a mental aspect gives him a once-in-a-generation skillset. Tua is a master of pre-snap reads, motioning receivers to uncover defense schemes and audibling plays to gain the upper hand offensively. His eye manipulation is something else, as he consistently looks off defenders and uses his eyes to create opportunities for his receivers. The timing and anticipation on Tua’s throws, combined with this innate eye manipulation ability, make him incredibly difficult to predict for defenders. These are skills that take years to develop in some quarterbacks, and some never even totally get it (cough cough Jared Goff). Tua’s cerebral ability will allow him to fit into just about any NFL offense. With the NFL trending towards much more RPO action, however, Tua is the perfect quarterback to plugin and rely on to make the right decisions with the football. He understands how to properly align his body to deliver accurate throws downfield, and never loses sight of where his targets are.
Tua does have some weaknesses that will need some work in the NFL. There were plays that he seemed to rush for no apparent reason, as he would step into a wild downfield throw and kill a play before it ever even really started. He needs to gain a better understanding of when the pass rush has the upper hand and get more comfortable checking the ball down to his safety targets. Tua has the tendency to go for broke on more plays than he needs to, which is understandable in Alabama’s high-flying offense, but in order for him to be a consistent pro, he will need to get better at learning when plays are dead and finding ways to pick up a few yards instead of heaving the ball out of bounds. Tua also showed some hesitation in the pocket at times, which is a pretty easy fix as he will just need to be more confident in his game. He has the ability to deliver accurate throws under pressure, he just needs to be more consistent with it. Tua has been prone to fumbles at times as he tries to keep plays alive for too long. Tua needs to work on knowing when to rush to his check-down target and when to improvise to keep the downfield pass alive - this will come with more snaps and increased scrutiny in film sessions in the NFL. He’s only 22 and has plenty of developing to do before he’s a totally polished product. Tua rarely had to throw into tight windows at Alabama due to the elite separation ability of the team’s receivers, but also partially to do with his own ability to manipulate defensive coverage and work his guys open. His elite accuracy and anticipation should allow him to complete passes into the tighter windows which will present themselves in the NFL.
Like Joe Burrow, Tua has elite poise and maturity. His experience in that come-from-behind championship win is invaluable for a young quarterback, and Tua has leadership traits that will make him a great franchise quarterback. Not every QB can come into the national championship game with his team down 13-0, take the game to overtime, and throw the game-winning walk off touchdown. But Tua isn’t every college QB - he’s got traits that make him really special. His ability to make pre-snap reads and audible plays to maximize chances of success will make his teammates better on the field. Tua has an intense love for the game of football and leaves his heart on the field every time he puts on his cleats. The character he has shown for just being 22 years old suggests a long and successful career at the next level. Tua has won at every level, and whatever team drafts him should expect those winning ways to continue.
Of course, the biggest question with Tua is his durability. The former Crimson Tide quarterback is working his way back from a hip injury that ended his 2019 season early and has also had surgery on both of his ankles in the past. A video surfaced on Monday of Tua throwing and performing drop-back drills to perfection, which should be a reason for optimism among NFL teams. Early estimates suggested he would miss all of the 2020 season, but he may be able to suit up this year after all. COVID-19 has made his status even more unclear as teams have been unable to visit with him as they have been taking social distancing precautions. Peter King of NBC Sports reported back in February that a longtime NFL physician said Tua’s injury history likely didn’t suggest any chronic issues. However, the quarterback does have a tendency to take unnecessary hits (blame his winning drive and team-first mentality) which will need to be curbed if he is to have a long professional career. He is a bit of a smaller quarterback at 6’1” and will need to learn how to protect himself from unnecessary big hits. He would be best served playing for a team with a higher-level offensive line, as well.
Tua has big-game experience and a winning mentality that pair perfectly with his off-the-charts cerebral abilities. He might not be the biggest, fastest, or strongest quarterback, but his football IQ is otherworldly at times, and if he can develop more consistency in his game he has a chance to be a top ten NFL quarterback off the mental aspect of his game and his uncanny accuracy and touch on throws to all three levels.
Grades
Accuracy/ball placement: 9/10
Decision-making/progressions: 8/10
Arm talent: 10/10
Pocket presence: 7/10
Mechanics/footwork: 8/10
Mobility: 8/10
Improvisation: 8/10
Football IQ/intangibles: 10/10
Total grade: 68/80
Strengths
Deep-ball accuracy
Eye manipulation
Heart, love for the game
Mobility in the pocket
Poise and maturity
Great at making reads pre-snap and during play
Extremely cerebral player
Weaknesses
Occasional hesitation in the pocket
A smaller player, prone to fumbles
Can deliver throws under pressure but needs to be more confident and consistent
Sometimes unnecessarily rushed
Gun-shy throwing into tight windows, hasn’t had to at Bama due to talent around him
Rearranging an entire offense for a lefty passer is not an undertaking any coach looks forward to when all of his players have only ever played with right-handed throwers
