After a disappointing end of the season for the Alabama Crimson Tide, it is no surprise that Quarterback Jalen Milroe has declared for the 2025 NFL Draft. The Crimson Tide had high hopes this season to return to the expanded College Football Playoff only to be the first team out by the committee.
Some of us including myself, may have placed a small wager at the beginning of the season that Bama would be a lock for the Playoffs this year. I may have even written an article about it as well. Sorry if I cost you any money. The committee didn’t feel Bama deserved the last spot in the playoff with a 9-3 record resulting in a ReliaQuest Bowl appearance against the Michigan Wolverines. Milroe and the Crimson Tide would fall short in an ugly game 19-13 to end his collegiate career.
Jalen Milroe By the Numbers
Jalen Milroe has been a member of the Alabama Crimson Tide football team for four years, getting most of his playing time in the last two seasons. The duel-threat quarterback didn’t have the best numbers throwing the ball this season, but the work he did with his legs stood out. Milroe ran for a collegiate career-high 726 yards and 20 touchdowns for the Tide. He also exceeded his previous high in passing yards with 2,844, surpassing his 2023 total by 10 yards.
The only issue is that it took him 35 more attempts this season to reach that number. The junior quarterback also added 16 touchdowns through the air, which was seven less than the previous season. Milroe’s interceptions were also up from a year ago, going from 6 to 11.
Jalen Milroe had a career record of 21-6, including an SEC Championship, under former Head Coach Nick Saban. Milroe had slightly better numbers with Saban as his coach before Kalen DeBoer took over this past season. DeBoer was the hot name in the offseason when Saban retired, and he was able to take the Washington Huskies to the National Championship. Michigan would be the demise of DeBoer’s season for the second year in a row, sending the coach home in a losing effort to end another season.
Milroe’s Draft Stock
According to CBS Sports’ Draft Prospects, Milroe sits at No. 32 in the nation. When talking quarterbacks, the Crimson Tide QB is considered the third-best available behind Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders and Miami’s Cam Ward. In a year where the talented quarterbacks may be limited, it may be a wise choice for Milroe to declare. The NFL continues to move in the direction of the mobile quarterback and having a dual-threat under center. Milroe could be a late first or second round pick in the 2025 draft, but turnovers could lead him to slip.
NFL decision makers will have to decide whether to tap into Milroe’s athleticism and development. He has the potential to become a starter on Sundays (Thursdays, Mondays, and sometimes Saturdays), but not right away. In the right situation, behind a veteran quarterback, Milroe could become a threat to opposing NFL defenses.
Final Thoughts
Jalen Milroe will be a quarterback in the NFL, but the question is, will he ever get the opportunity to be a franchise quarterback? He is a project for any General Manager looking to draft him and for any coaching staff to reach that untapped potential. The good thing is you can’t teach athleticism, and he has plenty of it. It will be interesting if he can become the next Jalen Hurts, as there are a lot of comparisons, or if he will end up more like Justin Fields. The turnovers are a concern, but that could also be a result of a new system in the post-Saban Era.
