Jags' Rumored Interest in Tua Tagovailoa Makes a Surprising Amount of Sense

With the first round of the NFL Draft kicking off on Thursday evening, the main topic of discussion is where former Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa will be selected. Teams like the Miami Dolphins and Los Angeles Chargers have been linked to the southpaw gunslinger, but a new team is rumored to have entered the race.

According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, Tagovailoa being selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars has "gathered steam in recent days."

The news comes as a bit of a shock, considering the Jaguars were expected to trot out Gardner Minshew as the team's quarterback this season. Now, Jacksonville could hypothetically take Tagovailoa without seeing how and if Minshew can progress with starter's reps this summer.

Tagovailoa was heavily projected to be a top-five pick in the pre-draft process, but his injury history has become a serious concern. The two-year starting quarterback suffered a nasty hip injury this past November, but also dealt with nagging ankle ailments throughout his time at Tuscaloosa.

Normally, teams will want prospects to be personally evaluated by their medical staff. But due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, team facilities have shut down indefinitely. Now, organizations have to rely on Tagovailoa's physicals from his personal doctor, while also looking at videos of his virtual Pro Day.

Tagovailoa's projections are all over the place heading into the NFL Draft. If Tagovailoa were to be passed on by the Dolphins or Chargers, don't be surprised to hear him announced as the Jaguars' quarterback of the future. Of course, that's if these rumors are true and not a smokescreen.