NFL draft expert Todd McShay released his first 2020 NFL mock draft on Tuesday, and he has LSU quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow going first overall to the Cincinnati Bengals. According to McShay, Burrow may not have been the first quarterback off the board if Alabama star Tua Tagovailoa had been able to finish the season with the Crimson Tide.
Tagovailoa, who suffered an ankle injury earlier this year and was back on the field to face LSU after undergoing a second tightrope procedure in as many seasons, suffered a dislocated hip against Mississippi State on November 16th. Tagovailoa’s doctors are hopeful he’ll be able to make a full recovery and continue to compete at a high level.
Tagovailoa was projected to end the year as the clear No. 1 overall pick when the season began, but Tagovailoa has not yet announced whether he’s entering the draft or returning to school – and his draft stock could have a significant impact on that decision. McShay projected Tagovailoa as the No. 4 overall pick to Miami, but said on Tuesday that the uncertainty around his condition makes him the biggest wild card in the draft.
“This is going to be the biggest wild card of this entire draft class. It really is, because if healthy… if you just throw out the hip injury, I’m talking about him at No. 1 overall. I think the Bengals take him over Joe Burrow. So, that’s the kind of level of talent he has.
The problem is, in addition to – yes he’s had a knee injury, he’s had two ankle injuries – but the problem is with the hip, can he still have the same power, and still have the same twitchiness, if you will, that he had prior to the hip injury. And we’re not gonna know! And everyone’s saying ‘well, he’ll be back, he’ll be ready to throw the ball by the draft…’ He’s not going to be able to be 100 percent probably for over a year. He’s not going to be able to walk for three months. And so now you’re looking at a quarterback and saying ‘alright, if we get him back to 100 percent, we’re talking about getting a No. 1 overall pick. If we don’t, we just wasted a pick and probably around $28, $30 million dollars in terms of guaranteed money.”
