Taulia Tagovailoa 2024 NFL Draft Landing Spots: Best fits for Tua Tagovailoa's brother
Taulia Tagovailoa hopes to follow his brother Tua Tagovailoa into the NFL through the 2024 NFL draft. However, unlike his brother, he is not expected to be taken among the top picks.
Tua Tagovailoa came out of Alabama and was drafted as a potential starter in this league. Taulia Tagovailoa has been phenomenal for Maryland, but he is not at his elder brother's level. To his credit, he holds the Big Ten Conference record for passing yards and should be worthy of a look by NFL teams.
A look at Taulia Tagovailoa's 2024 NFL draft prospects in comparison to Tua Tagovailoa
Among his better traits, Taulia Tagovailoa has great accuracy on his short and intermediate throws. He has good pocket presence and can avoid and break through arm tackles because of his build. He is a good runner when needed for short yardage.
However, things that worry the scouts are present in his game too. Firstly, his height is a limiting factor. He is only 5-foot-11 and Bryce Young's struggles this year after being drafted No. 1 will not help his case. He also has a tendency to lose accuracy and speed on deep throws, which is something Tua Tagovailoa cannot be accused of frequently. Some of his mechanics need attention too.
Because of this, he is projected to go on the third day of the 2024 NFL draft, somewhere around the fifth round being the most likely. He will be picked up as a backup quarterback and not someone who can be made the starter immediately.
Here's a look at a few teams that might be interested in him:
#3 - Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings suffered with the loss of Kirk Cousins this season. While Joshua Dobbs played well initially, his production has gone down. Having a dependable backup will eliminate the need to trade midseason as they had to this year. While there is no guarantee that Cousins will return, even if he does there is a need for someone who can sit behind him or whoever is the starting quarterback.
The concern, though, will be that the Vikings offense often uses deep balls to Justin Jefferson and others. That may not be ideal for Taulia Tagovailoa but he is likely to have a crack at the starting position sooner on this team than others and that makes it a good fit. Given their situation this season, they should look at the Maryland prospect as a good backup to have.
#2 - Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos have resurrected their season after a brutal 1-5 start and much of that is down to Russell Wilson finding a foot in the way Sean Payton wants to play. The current head coach at Mile High made his name with the New Orleans Saints, coaching a future Hall-of-Fame career out of Drew Brees, who only measured 6-foot-0.
In Russell Wilson, Taulia Tagovailoa also has someone who is built like him in terms of strength and height and could learn from him. Furthermore, the Broncos are playing in a way that is efficient and includes short slants, screens and passes rather than anything too explosive. Something like this is ideal for the Maryland quarterback to sit behind and learn.
#1 - Seattle Seahawks
Any young quarterback who wants to find his full potential can do no worse than Pete Carroll, especially if they are not someone picked at the top of the draft. He has revitalized Geno Smith's career and anyone who saw Drew Lock play for them against the Philadelphia Eagles will know that the backup quarterback gets the same attention.
The head coach's ability to turn 5-foot-11 Russell Wilson, a third-round pick, into a franchise quarterback bodes well for Taulia Tagovailoa, who is also expected to be taken in the latter rounds of the 2024 NFL draft. He might have to bide his time to get a chance to start with this team, but in terms of his personal development, it might be the best fit.