Sports
2020 NFL Mock Draft: Predictions After Tua’s Reported Dislocated Hip Injury
Todd Kirkland/Getty ImagesAlabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who projects as one of the 2020 NFL draft’s top prospects should he declare, suffered a season-ending hip dislocation and posterior wall fracture on Saturday against Mississippi State.Team orthopedic surgeon Dr. Lyle Cain (h/t Andy Staples of The Athletic) issued a statement on Tagovailoa’s condition:Andy Staples @Andy_StaplesStatement from Alabama…
Todd Kirkland/Getty Images
Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who projects as one of the 2020 NFL draft's top prospects should he declare, suffered a season-ending hip dislocation and posterior wall fracture on Saturday against Mississippi State.
Team orthopedic surgeon Dr. Lyle Cain (h/t Andy Staples of The Athletic) issued a statement on Tagovailoa's condition:
Andy Staples @Andy_Staples
Statement from Alabama doc Lyle Cain on Tua. https://t.co/Odwu0AdETl
Thankfully, a full recovery is expected, although Tagovailoa's career with the Crimson Tide may be over.
If so, the question is how teams view his pro prospects in light of his injury history. Of note, Tagovailoa had been playing on a surgically repaired right ankle even before the hip dislocation.
Still, there's no denying the left-hander's tremendous talent, and the hope is that he makes a full recovery and starts playing on Sundays in short order.
On that note, here's a look at a 2020 NFL mock draft in light of the Tagovailoa news. Although he undoubtedly has a long road ahead, we'll hang on to the “full recovery” phrase in the statement and assume Tagovailoa is good to go for next season. In other words, his high draft stock stays that way.
2020 NFL Mock Draft
1. Cincinnati Bengals: LSU QB Joe Burrow
2. Washington Redskins: Ohio State EDGE Chase Young
3. New York Giants: Alabama WR Jerry Jeudy
4. Miami Dolphins: Alabama QB Tua Tagovailoa
5. New York Jets: Ohio State CB Jeff Okudah
6. Atlanta Falcons: Clemson LB/S Isaiah Simmons
7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: LSU S Grant Delpit
8. Denver Broncos: Oregon QB Justin Herbert
9. Arizona Cardinals: Oklahoma WR Cee Dee Lamb
10. Detroit Lions: Auburn DL Derrick Brown
11. Cleveland Browns: Iowa OT Tristan Wirfs
12. Los Angeles Chargers: Georgia OT Andrew Thomas
13. Jacksonville Jaguars: Alabama WR Henry Ruggs Jr.
14. Oakland Raiders: Iowa EDGE A.J. Epenesa
15. Miami Dolphins: Georgia RB D'Andre Swift
16. Tennessee Titans: LSU LB K'Lavon Chaisson
17. Philadelphia Eagles: Florida CB CJ Henderson
18. Indianapolis Colts: South Carolina DT Javon Kinlaw
19. Carolina Panthers: Alabama OT Alex Leatherwood
20. Jacksonville Jaguars: USC OT Austin Jackson
21. Dallas Cowboys: LSU CB Kristian Fulton
22. Oakland Raiders: Oklahoma LB Kenneth Murray
23. Kansas City Chiefs: Alabama CB Trevon Diggs
24. Minnesota Vikings: Florida State DT Marvin Wilson
25. Buffalo Bills: Oklahoma OL Creed Humphrey
26. Miami Dolphins: Clemson WR Tee Higgins
27. New Orleans Saints: Georgia QB Jake Fromm
28. Seattle Seahawks: Penn State EDGE Yetur Gross-Matos
29. Baltimore Ravens: Notre Dame EDGE Julian Okwara
30. Green Bay Packers: Utah State QB Jordan Love
31. New England Patriots: Alabama LB Dylan Moses
32. San Francisco 49ers: Washington OT Trey Adams
Top 5 Analysis
1. Cincinnati Bengals: LSU QB Joe Burrow
Thomas Graning/Associated Press
The Andy Dalton era is all but over in Cincinnati after the Bengals turned to fourth-round rookie Ryan Finley to see what he's got.
Finley may finish this season strong, but the Bengals can't pass on a prospect like Burrow, the Heisman favorite who is leading No. 1 LSU with 38 touchdowns and just six interceptions.
The 6'4″, 216-pound signal-caller has traversed through a daunting schedule to keep the Tigers undefeated. There is simply a lot to like here.
2. Washington Redskins: Ohio State EDGE Chase Young
The “run to the podium” cliche to describe teams' love affairs with certain players should they get them is a tired one, but sometimes it's appropriate.
There is just no reason for Washington to pass on Ohio State edge-rusher Chase Young, even if the team is in the market for a long-term solution at left tackle with Trent Williams' stay in the nation's capital all but over.
Young is a transformative talent who has 13.5 sacks and five forced fumbles in eight games. Keep in mind those numbers could be even better if Ohio State played in closer games, but the Buckeyes have the luxury of going to their backups given that they've outscored their opponents by an average of 41.7 points per game.
3. New York Giants: Alabama WR Jerry Jeudy
Vasha Hunt/Associated Press
The Giants can go one of three routes here: pick an impressive No. 1 wideout to pair with rookie quarterback Daniel Jones, select a blue-chip offensive tackle to protect Jones' blind side or take the best defensive player to shore up a D that has allowed the third-most points per game in the league.
All options are acceptable, but if Young is off the board, then Alabama wideout Jerry Jeudy stands as the best non-quarterback prospect remaining.
The 6'1″, 192-pound wideout was called the best prospect in the 2020 draft class by Bleacher Report's Matt Miller in May. He's currently No. 3 on Miller's big board, and it just so happens his pro comparison is former Giants wideout Odell Beckham Jr.
4. Miami Dolphins: Alabama QB Tua Tagovailoa
If Tagovailoa turns in a clean bill of health, then this pick is a no-brainer for the Miami Dolphins.
The Josh Rosen experiment has not worked out, with the second-year pro losing his starting job to veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick. Miami needs a long-term solution at the position, and Tagovailoa is the best signal-caller left with Burrow going to Cincinnati.
The Dolphins are hoarding draft picks as they undergo a significant rebuild, so they can use those selections to fill other areas of need while declaring Tagovailoa their quarterback of the future.
5. New York Jets: Ohio State CB Jeff Okudah
Paul Vernon/Associated Press
The New York Jets can go a few routes.
For one, they can pick up the best wideout left on the board and pair him with franchise quarterback Sam Darnold for years to come (hopefully).
They can also find an offensive lineman to help protect Darnold, who has been sacked 20 times in just six games while playing behind an offensive line that ranks second-worst in adjusted sack rate allowed, per Football Outsiders.
But the 2-7 Jets should just take the best player on the board to help a team with many needs. In this case, that's Ohio State cornerback Jeff Okudah.
Trumaine Johnson has not worked out for the Jets, and their depth at cornerback has been tested due to injuries and poor performance.
Okudah should shut down a side for many years regardless of where he ends up, and the Jets could do worse than he and Jamal Adams in the secondary provided Gang Green can patch things up with their defensive superstar after a dramatic trade deadline.
Subscribe to Centenunlimited news
We hate SPAM and promise to keep your email address safe
