For much of last season, Tua Tagovailoa was undeniably the best player in college football. Then, a series of lower-body injuries caused him to slip a bit, which allowed Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray to win the Heisman Trophy.
With that in mind, it’s hardly surprising that Tagovailoa is now a heavy favorite to go No. 1 in the 2020 NFL Draft.
ESPN College Football shared new odds released by The Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook, which have Tagovailoa as the odds-on favorite at -300. The only other two players who have shorter than 10-1 odds are Georgia’s Jake Fromm and Oregon’s Justin Herbert (both are at 7-1).
During his first year as the starter for the Alabama Crimson Tide, Tagovailoa was electric. He made unfathomably pinpoint throws all over the field, leading to a jaw-dropping stat line of 3,966 yards and 43 touchdowns.
A dual-threat passer, Tagovailoa is also dangerous in the open field when he chooses to run. He finished his 2018 campaign with 190 yards and five touchdowns on the ground.
As an aside, the 2019 Heisman race should be entertaining, as Tagovailoa is far from the only player who can win. Yet given his immense talents, and the fact that Alabama is a perennial title contender, nobody should be surprised if he wins it this year and then goes No. 1 overall in the 2020 NFL Draft.