Is Taulia Tagovailoa going to the NFL? Maryland QB confirms plans for 2024

Taulia Tagovailoa is the current quarterback of the Maryland Terrapins and the younger brother of Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. According to reports, Tagovailoa has declared for the NFL draft.

Tagovailoa had a strong 2023 season, throwing for 3 377 yards with a completion rate of 66.4%. He would also score 25 touchdowns for the Terrapins, leading them to an 8-5 season. This was enough for Maryland to earn a spot in the Music City Bowl game, where they faced the Auburn Tigers. The Terrapins won 31-13, but Tagovailoa did not play in this matchup.

The 2023 season was Tagovailoa's senior year, meaning he could join his brother in the NFL.

Why may Taulia Tagovailoa declare for the NFL draft?

Tagovailoa originally did not intend to declare for the 2024 NFL draft.

Tagovailoa wanted to gain another year of eligibility. The maximum number of years players are allowed is five, which Tagovailoa has had. This figure does not include the 2020 season, which didn't count toward a player's eligibility due to that year being affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Before heading to the Terrapins and becoming the Big Ten all-time leader in passing yards, Tagovailoa was on the roster for the Alabama Crimson Tide, where he played a total of four snaps over two games. He argued in his appeal that this year did not count toward his eligibility.

The NCAA disagreed with him and declined his request for another year of eligibility or to enter the transfer portal.

Which teams could draft Taulia Tagovailoa?

This year's quarterback class is strong, with the likes of Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, Jaylen Daniels and most recently, national championship winner J.J. McCarthy all having declared for the draft.

This means that the teams near the top of the board are unlikely to draft Taulia Tagovailoa. If he is to be projected as a first-round pick, he, like McCarthy, may be picked in the middle of the first round.

This could mean teams like the Minnesota Vikings or the Denver Broncos may draft Tagovailoa. Both franchises may be looking to move on from their current aging quarterbacks and find someone new to replace them.

Taulia Tagovailoa may be used as a backup quarterback in line to replace the current QB1 in a year's team. This could be of interest to the LA Rams, whose quarterback Matthew Stafford is nearing retirement, or even the Dallas Cowboys, whose offense struggled in their wild-card matchup with the Green Bay Packers.

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