Mel Kiper joins Justin Herbert over Tua Tagovailoa chorus

For months, Tua Tagovailoa was considered among NFL analysts to be the second-best quarterback in this year’s draft. 

But with the first round almost a week away, that tide appears to have changed. ESPN’s Mel Kiper joined the growing list of draft experts to mock Oregon’s Justin Herbert ahead of Tagovailoa in next week’s draft.

In his latest mock draft, Kiper predicts Herbert will be picked fifth overall by the Miami Dolphins with Tagovailoa falling sixth to the Los Angeles Chargers. A one-pick drop may not seem extreme, but it represents how Tagovailoa’s stock has been affected the last few months. 

Mel Kiper has the Dolphins taking Justin Herbert in his latest mock draft…👀

2nd QB Drafted:
-Tua: -371
-Herbert: +180

Who is going to Miami?

(🎥 via @GetUpESPN)pic.twitter.com/J5YT2VO7Hd

— PointsBet Sportsbook (@PointsBetUSA) April 14, 2020

Tagovailoa has faced questions throughout the draft over his health. The Alabama quarterback suffered a season-ending injury in the fall and despite receiving medical clearance last month, reports indicate there are concerns about the 22-year-old’s durability. Bleacher Report also reported some teams rated Tagovailoa as the third-or-fourth best quarterback in the draft, indicating his pre-draft meetings with certain teams weren’t impressive for some.

Herbert, meanwhile, has seen his stock grow in this process. Kiper said Herbert has “got a ton of talent” and the “upside is through the roof.”