This month's NFL draft has been hindered by the COVID-19 pandemic, with hopes of a festive scene on the Las Vegas strip being replaced by a studio setting that will include "virtual attendees" after the traditional green room containing the top college talents had to be scrapped.
It's a cautious and necessary approach given the national landscape, but draft intrigue should still be stout thanks to former Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. Expected to be the top pick this time last year - remember all the talk of the Miami Dolphins "Tanking for Tua?" - the 6-foot, 217-pounder underwent ankle surgery in October and hip surgery in November, thus derailing a three-year career in Tuscaloosa that was otherwise dazzling.
Tagovailoa was scheduled to perform Thursday before NFL scouts in what was originally established as his personal pro day, but that opportunity isn't going to transpire, only adding to Tagovailoa's unknown approaching the April 23-25 event.
"We've continued to try and do everything we can from a rehab standpoint, and I think his agents and representation now are determining what the factors are," Alabama coach Nick Saban said late last week on a conference call. "I can't really comment on where Tua is. We think his rehab has gone extremely well. He's been able to do things on a schedule relative to the way we thought he would be able to do them.
"He's very positive and upbeat on where he is right now, and that's really all there is for me to say about that."
While Saban has been guarded on his former quarterback who produced a career efficiency rating of 199.4, the highest figure in college football history, others have been quite outspoken. Former New York Jets coach Rex Ryan appeared on ESPN's "Get Up" morning show last week and labeled Tagovailoa as the king of all draft risks.
Alabama has not produced an NFL first-round quarterback since Richard Todd went sixth overall to Lou Holtz's Jets in 1976.
"I think this is the biggest gamble in the history of the NFL draft," Ryan told ESPN. "Your doctors can't get their hands on him. We know that this man is an absolutely amazing quarterback. He's got everything - all the intangibles, that leadership, and he plays the greatest when it's the brightest - so he's an amazing prospect. However, you can't just ignore those injuries no matter how he's working out right now.
"Everybody knows about the three operations he had in college, but I've heard he's had five. I know a lot of people in the NFL, and I'm getting that information from them, and if he's had five operations, then that's a major concern. If I only had one first-round pick, I think it's too risky."
The Cincinnati Bengals have the No. 1 pick and are expected to take former LSU quarterback Joe Burrow. The Washington Redskins are scheduled to pick second and could choose Ohio State defensive end Chase Young or decide to snag a quarterback for the second consecutive draft after taking Ohio State's Dwayne Haskins last April with the 15th overall selection.
ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper projects Young to the Redskins, Ohio State cornerback Jeff Okudah third to the Detroit Lions, Clemson linebacker Isaiah Simmons fourth to the New York Giants, and he has Tagovailoa winding up with the Dolphins after all as the fifth overall selection. Kiper had Tagovailoa going third to Detroit in a previous mock draft and on Tuesday said that Miami could use the fifth pick on Oregon quarterback Justin Herbert.
Tagovailoa, who completed 474 of 684 attempts (69.3%) for 7,442 yards with 87 touchdowns and just 11 interceptions, had a Twitter video post on March 23 that reflected his mobility, but his doubters seem to have intensified since.
Matt Miller, a draft analyst for Bleacher Report, said, "One team source explained that they have knocked Tua for an all-world supporting cast that often saved him when plays broke down. Another mentioned poor interviews and board work during scouting combine meetings."
Former Dolphins and Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum told "Get Up" last week that it would be "irresponsible" to take Tagovailoa within the top 10 due to health concerns.
Tagovailoa came off the bench as a freshman to replace Jalen Hurts and rally Alabama to a 26-23 overtime win over Georgia in the national championship game of the 2017 season. As the Crimson Tide starter, he lost only to Clemson in the 2018 season and LSU last season, with each of those Tigers going on to win that year's national title.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524. Follow him on Twitter @DavidSPaschall.