Actually, Tua had an impressive Freshman year at Alabama including some garbage time appearances plus the memorable second half National Championship game appearance.
Tua's 2018 sophomore year was his best production, and that was the season when media talking heads were projecting him to be a #1 overall draft pick.
However 2019 was a down year for Tua including multiple injuries, a significant drop in his draft status position, and doubts about his style of play. Following that season some people in the media suggested he should return to Alabama for his senior year. But Tua opted to declare for the draft and as far as I know Miami was the only team interested in using a first round pick to draft him.
So for the fans thinking Tua was a hot draft prospect I believe you may be remembering on his freshman and sophomore years at Alabama, but perhaps forgetting about how the sentiment changed during the 2019 season, his junior year.