Medical concerns have been the talking point in regards to Tua Tagovailoa as a 2020 NFL Draft prospect, and while some still believe the quarterback's injury history will cause him to drop past QB-needy teams early Thursday night, Tagovailoa's own doctor from February's scouting combine has signed off on the signal-caller's health. According to ESPN's Stephania Bell, hip specialist Thomas Byrd said Thursday that Tagovailoa's X-rays were "pristine" and that the Alabama product is ahead of schedule in his recovery from a 2019 hip dislocation.
Byrd, who specializes in orthopedic surgery in Nashville, was the independent physician charged with leading a medical recheck of Tagovailoa at the combine, per Bell. While previous reports indicated NFL teams received "overwhelmingly positive" reports of Tagovailoa's health at the time, Byrd's follow-up remarks reiterate confidence in the QB's current status. CT scans of Tagovailoa's right hip joint mirror those of his left hip, according to Byrd, and the presumptive first-round draft pick "looks as good as (anyone) five months out" from the type of injury Tagovailoa suffered during his final year with the Crimson Tide.
The true unknown, of course, is whether NFL teams -- particularly those picking early on Thursday night -- are willing to gamble on Tagovailoa's long-term durability. The former Heisman runner-up has a lengthy track record of injuries, battling a broken finger, knee sprain and multiple high-ankle sprains during his college career. Even so, he's widely considered a top-three QB prospect in this year's rookie class, with some suggesting he'd be a slam-dunk No. 1 pick if not for the medical concerns.
With the Cincinnati Bengals expected to take LSU's Joe Burrow No. 1 overall, Tagovailoa could still end up going in the top five of the 2020 draft. The Miami Dolphins (No. 5 overall) have been heavily linked to Tagovailoa along with Oregon's Justin Herbert, while the Jacksonville Jaguars and Los Angeles Chargers have also been reported as candidates for a trade up into the top five.
