Tua Tagovailoa's Wonderlic Score Doesn't Matter

Tua Tagovailoa didn't do so hot on the Wonderlic test. As we learned on Friday, he had the lowest score among the quarterbacks in the 2020 NFL Draft. But here's the thing, in the end, the Alabama quarterback's score on the test doesn't matter one bit.

On Friday we posted his Wonderlic score. I did, in fact. I know a lot of people are against doing that, and maybe it isn't the right thing to do. After all, Wonderlic scores don't mean a whole lot. One thing I do know is that in Tagovailoa's case, it definitely doesn't matter.

Joe Burrow is the only quarterback in this draft class who can read a defense and spot an open receiver like Tagovailoa. Other than Burrow, he's also the most accurate passer in the draft. Those are the two most important traits that determine success at the NFL level. How he does on an outdated test has no bearing on what he can do with the ball in his hands.

On film, Tagovailoa is the second-best quarterback in this draft, and he's only second because Burrow was absolutely on fire this year at LSU. When you run the tape back, there is no comparison between Tagovailoa and Oregon's Justin Herbert. Herbert is bigger, has a slightly better arm and might have big upside, but Tua was far better in college. A few answers on a piece of paper aren't going to change that.

Herbert apparently has a lot of fans in NFL circles and that's entirely predictable. He's a 6-foot-6, 240-pound quarterback with some mobility. He's the kind of prototypical guy old school scouts fall in love with. But Tagovailoa is clearly the better player when healthy.

In the end, the Wonderlic doesn't matter. It just doesn't. Tua can play. The biggest concern is whether or not his hip will hold up. If it will, he's a great player regardless of the test.