Taulia Tagovailoa to enter 2024 NFL Draft, despite seeking sixth year of eligibility
Taulia Tagovailoa is entering the 2024 NFL Draft.
The news was reported by 247 Sports.
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The former Maryland quarterback — and Big Ten’s all-time leading passer — had entered the transfer portal and was looking for a sixth year of eligibility. According to the report, it appears unlikely the NCAA will grant the sixth-year waiver.
He opted out of the Dec. 30 Music City Bowl vs. Auburn.
Tagovailoa played five seasons of college football and already used his extra year of eligibility from the pandemic-shortened campaign in 2023 as a redshirt senior this past fall.
Per the report, the wavier request centers around the 2019 season while Tagovailoa was as Alabama.
He played in five total games that season. In two of those games, he took just two snaps.
The NCAA allows players to play four games and still redshirt.
In four seasons at Maryland, the young Tagovailoa set records for career passing yards (11,256), career completions (955), career completion percentage (67.1%), career passing touchdowns (76), career total offense (11,473).
The 5-foot-11, 205-pound Tagovailoa grew up in Hawaii, but finished his high school career at Thompson in the Birmingham area.
He signed with Alabama as a four-star recruit in 2019, but transferred away after appearing in five games as a true freshman, completing 9 of 12 passes for 100 yards and a touchdown.
Tagovailoa followed former Alabama offensive coordinator Mike Locksley to Maryland, where he played in four games during the COVID-shortened 2020 season.
He was the Terrapins’ primary quarterback the last three seasons, totaling more than 3,000 yards passing in each.
