Maryland Terrapins quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa has been off to a hot start in 2023, spurring questions around the country regarding when he is eligible for the NFL Draft. We’re looking at when Tagovailoa is eligible for the NFL Draft and the highlights from his scouting report.
Is Taulia Tagovailoa Draft-Eligible?
Tagovailoa, the younger brother of Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, is a fifth-year senior in 2023. He was first eligible for the NFL Draft after the 2021 season — his third year in college. But he has returned twice to fully use up his collegiate eligibility before entering the NFL.
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He is again eligible for the 2024 NFL Draft, scheduled to be held in Detroit, Michigan, on April 25-27, 2024. As a senior, he does not need to declare his intentions and is automatically placed into the pool of draft-eligible talent.
Tagovailoa’s Draft Profile and Measurements
- Height: 5’11”
- Weight: 200 pounds
- Position: Quarterback
- School: Maryland
- Current Year: Redshirt Senior
The Tagovailoa name is football royalty at this point. The eldest brother of the Tagovailoa family — Tua — was a CFB national champion, a Maxwell and Walter Camp Award winner, and the fifth overall pick of the 2020 NFL Draft. He’s since developed into a Pro Bowl-caliber passer with the Dolphins.
Next in line for the Tagovailoa mantle is Taulia, Tua’s younger brother and former backup. Taulia joined his brother at Alabama in 2019. But in 2020, Taulia sought out a starting opportunity at Maryland. An injury limited him to four games in 2020, but in 2021, he roared back with 3,860 yards, 26 touchdowns, and 11 picks with an almost 70% completion rate.
2022 featured a slight regression from Tagovailoa, who completed 67% of his attempts for 3,008 yards, 18 touchdowns, and eight picks. But he was still an All-Big Ten performer, and he’s now Maryland’s all-time leader in career passing yards and passing TDs — with this season left to play.
Through the first two games of 2023, Tagovailoa is on pace to at least match last year’s numbers. He’s completing 68.1% of his passes for 547 yards, four touchdowns, and two interceptions.