Jalen Milroe is every bit the boom-or-bust type of NFL Draft prospect. The former Alabama star quarterback has been compared favorably to Baltimore Ravens living legend Lamar Jackson. There are also reasons why he may not be drafted until day two. I would have Milroe as QB4 on my big board behind only Miami's Cam Ward, Colorado's Shedeur Sanders and Ole Miss' Jaxson Dart, in that order.
So when Milroe received an invitation to attend the 2025 NFL Draft in person, I was most certainly stunned. While I am of the belief that he could work in the NFL, I have a hard time seeing somebody taking him in the first round. This comes in the wake of Sanders' draft stock falling, as well as people kind of sort of convincing themselves that Dart should be the second quarterback taken this spring.
To get some level of clarification, I came across Adam Schefter draft week notes for ESPN. On the topic of Milroe, he was invited because of the belief that he would attend as one of the best quarterback prospects in this draft. Going in day one or two is not a huge deal for him. As for as his NFL comp is concerned, how about another former college football star that shares his given name.
Schefter mentioned that Jalen Hurts happens to share the same agent as Milroe does coming in...
Jalen Milroe could be the next Jalen Hurts to be entering the NFL Draft
The growing consensus is Milroe will end up being a second-round pick, one teams seem to be more than willing to bet on his upside. If he ends up being closer to a top-40 prospect than a top-65 one, I would not be completely shocked if somebody traded up to the very early 30s to take him in the first round. Baltimore did just that to take Lamar Jackson at No. 32 overall way back in the 2018 NFL Draft.
Admittedly, I was very high on Hurts coming out of Oklahoma by way of Alabama. I knew that he had the necessary leadership skills to render Carson Wentz useless leading the Philadelphia Eagles. Half a decade since Hurts was drafted, I could not have been more right. To me, where Milroe goes matters more than anything. He is more of a project than a prospect, but one that does intrigue me.
Ultimately, I get the feeling that Schefter has about as good of a feeling on Milroe's draft stock as anyone. We would argue that his skill set can translate to the league, but he may not be able to overcome a bad situation. Who are we kidding? Would Jackson be well on his way to Canton if he did not go to Baltimore? Would Hurts be a Super Bowl MVP if he went somewhere besides Philadelphia?
What this all boils down to whoever ends up drafting Milroe will have done so with great calculation.