2020 NFL Draft: 10 Biggest head-turners of college football season

2. Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama

Even though he’s been hurt, teams are still “Tanking for Tua” and there’s a good reason for that. Ever since he took over at the Alabama job away from Jalen Hurts, Tua Tagovailoa has established himself as a top-tier NFL prospect. From an intangible perspective, he’s a winner, losing just one game thus far in his career. He’s not a rah-rah guy but he’s shown leadership qualities without doubt.

There’s a cerebral approach to his game and it shows in the way he reads defenses. He’s aware of situations and always knows where he’s at on the field. Because of his intellect, he rarely makes head-scratching mistakes; he’s only thrown two interceptions this season.

He’s also extremely accurate on all levels of the field. His 74.7 completion percentage is among the best in college football. And he’s not just dumping the ball off either.

Tagovailoa has a feel and arm strength to hit players in stride on deep routes. Alabama ranks No. 4 in yards per attempt thanks to Tagovailoa not being afraid to take a shot. In the cases where his guy is covered, he’s shown the ability to put the ball where only his guys can get it.

When things get messy around the pocket, he’s able to move around and extend plays. If there isn’t anyone open, he’s athletic and fast enough to pull it down and run. When he does run, it’s with power that works for his sturdy 6-1, 218-pound frame. Tagovailoa can also run naked boots and can throw on the run.

Tagovailoa is ideally similar to guys like Drew Brees and Russell Wilson, but he’s a better prospect than they were at this point. Tagovailoa will likely hear his name in the top three if not No. 1 overall in the 2020 NFL Draft.