Pros and Cons of Lions Drafting Tua Tagovailoa

Support has increased for Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa to be drafted by the Lions

With each passing day, support is growing for the Detroit Lions to actually select Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa with their third pick. 

The latest is NFL Network analyst Nate Burleson. 

On Thursday, Burleson expressed that teams will soon start to shy away from signing quarterbacks to large contracts. 

“He (Phil Simms) said there’s going to be a point where teams are going to walk away from handicapping themselves by paying these quarterbacks big money if they’re not getting these teams into the playoffs or to the Super Bowl,” Burleson said via Mlive. 

“What’s funny is when he said that, the first person that came to my mind was Matt Stafford. Not because I don’t think he’s worth (the money), but I do think there are going to be teams that are going to use the financially responsible approach.”

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Should the Detroit Lions take the ultimate risk by drafting Tagovailoa?

Pros

Despite a large portion of the fanbase that supports Matthew Stafford, there will come a time when he is no longer the signal-caller in Detroit. 

If Tagovailoa is medically cleared and displays the level of ability that he did in college, Detroit should seriously consider selecting him. 

Stafford has been a staple in Detroit for over a decade. And despite not being completely to blame for the organization's struggles, he does not appear to be the solution either. 

Many believe Tagovailioa could sit out for a season behind Stafford and learn the position. 

Sound similar? 

It's what Patrick Mahomes was able to do with the Kansas City Chiefs. 

Detroit can ill-afford to pass on a quarterback that turns into a mega-star for another organization. 

According to the Draft Network:

"Does a terrific job navigating the pocket, keeping his eyes down the field and finding his outlets under duress. He isn’t the tallest quarterback but the density of his frame is ideal for his style of play. He is balanced and rhythmic with his footwork in the pocket and is generally synched up properly with his routes. Has success challenging all levels of the field with sound accuracy. Takes full advantage of the incredible speed at his disposal with the Bama WRs and works the football down the field with excellent success."

Cons

On film, Tagovailoa's arm strength is adequate, but he doesn’t display the rocket arm that Matthew Stafford features. 

The largest concern that many will state is Tagovailoa's injury history, and rightfully so. 

In order for an organization to commit to Tagovailoa, they must be absolutely certain that he is healthy and capable of playing for many years in the NFL. 

ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky is one of many who is skeptical at the moment. 

"There is the potential that the injury is a real thing. We don't know right now. I think Tua will be a great pro. The reality is what it is. I don't think a team should take Tua with the anticipation that he will play next year. It doesn't make sense. I think Matthew will play really good football for the next five, six years," Orlovsky told Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. 

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