BamaInsider Top 40 for 2019: Taulia Tagovailoa leads off 40-36

Taulia Tagovailoa’s placement on this list hinges on the health of the quarterbacks in front of him. If his older brother Tua Tagovailoa and backup quarterback Mac Jones make it through the year unscathed, the freshman should see limited action in his first season. However, Taulia makes the cut based on the fact that he is just one play away from possibly becoming a key part of Alabama’s offense.

Assuming everything goes to plan, Alabama figures to hold Taulia to four games to preserve his redshirt status. Things get a bit more interesting if an injury occurs. If Jones were to go down, Taulia would be the natural backup to his older brother. In the event Tua was to miss an extended period of time, Taulia could even compete with Jones for the starting spot.

The four-star freshman showed plenty of promise this spring, completing 6 of 9 passes for 93 yards with a touchdown and an interception during the A-Day game. It’s likely he will only appear in blowout situations next year, but crazier things have happened.