Why is Tua Tagovailoa special?

The Miami Dolphins have decided to turn the page. They’ve moved on from Ryan Fitzpatrick despite their solid and surprising start of the 2020 NFL season and now plan to have Tua Tagovailoaas their starting quarterback for the remainder of the year.

This was a shocking decision considering that they currently have a 3-3 record and are second in the AFC East division. However, it seems like starting Tua once he was fully healthy was their plan all along.

But, are the Miami Dolphins doing the right thing? is Tua ready? Well, that’s not for us to decide and only time will tell. What we can say is that, judging by his impressive career with the Alabam Crimson Tide, he’s got everything it takes to be the next big thing.

Tua Tagovailoa College Stats

Born in Ewa Beach, Hawaii, Tuanigamanuolepola Tagovailoa, A.K.A Tua, made his way to the University of Alabama after being one of the most highly-coveted prospects in Honolulu, declining offers from other big programs like UCLA, and Oregon.

Tua took over as the starting quarterback in his sophomore season and finished his three-year career under Nick Saban’s tutelage with 32 games, completing474 of his 684 attempts (69.3%) for7,442 yards, 87 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. He also rushed for 340 yards and 9 scores.

Tua Tagovailoa’s Career-Threatening Injury

Tua suffered a gruesome injury on October 15, 2019, vs. Mississipi State. His knee hit the ground after a sack and he dislocated his hip, broke his nose, and suffered a concussion. He had to be carted off the field and his draft stock took a major hit as there were some doubts regarding his ability to play football again.

Tua Tagovailoa Scouting Reports

Tua Tagovailoa decided to forgo his final year of college eligibility and declare for the 2020 NFL Draft despite his injury, and even though some people thought he’d slip due to health-related concerns, the Miami Dolphins took him with the 5th overall pick, and for very good reasons.

Tua is an athletic freak. He’s a big-play threat every time he’s in the pocket, as he can hurt defenses on the ground and the air. His height (6’1”) is far from ideal for the quarterback position, but he makes up for it with great speed and ability to react.

Tagovailoa is willing to push the ball downfield and often puts his receivers in a position to get more yards after the catch, even though he doesn’t have the strongest arm in the league. He’s great at taking care of the football and doesn’t make many mistakes.

The 22-year-old showed a great ability to improvise and read coverages in real-time, especially when throwing on the run. Then again, he’s had a concerning number of lower-leg injuries that will always raise questions over his durability.

Tua Tagovailoa Highlights

Well, it seems like the Miami Dolphins have found their guy. Obviously, there will be plenty of growing pains as it happens for most rookie quarterbacks, but it’s pretty clear that they’re fully confident in his ability to lead them going forward.