Jalen Milroe will not be drafted as excessive as Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders, however he’ll definitely hear his identify known as in the course of the 2025 NFL Draft.
The former Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback is regarded by some because the third-best quarterback prospect on this 12 months’s draft.
The 22-year-old is coming off of a prolific season by which he posted 36 complete touchdowns (20 dashing) throughout his senior 12 months with the Crimson Tide.
Entering the draft, Milroe is arguably probably the most intriguing quarterback prospect due to his dual-threat skills.
Milroe rushed for 726 yards and his 20 touchdowns ranked second amongst all quarterbacks and eighth within the nation final season. However, a few of his throwing capabilities are being questioned, primarily the accuracy of his intermediate throwing.
It’s the rationale why Milroe is projected as a second or third-round draft decide. Although he’s not a surefire first-round decide, he’s one of many 17 prospects being invited to the draft in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
That invite has led to hypothesis that an NFL group could also be zeroing in on him as a first-round decide.
“It isn’t for all of you to know,” Milroe advised Card Player when requested if he has data that he’s being drafted sooner than anticipated. “It’s definitely a dream of mine to attend the draft. I’m so excited to seize the opportunity. I’ll be able to tell my family of my own one day that I attended the draft and I’m able to seize every opportunity of it. I’m fulfilling my dream and I’m going to enjoy every bit of it.”
Senior Bowl Hand Size Measurement ‘Was Wrong’
While Milroe could in a roundabout way be answering the query of whether or not or not he is aware of he’s going early within the draft, he’s placing to relaxation the entire subject of his hand dimension main into the draft.
At the Senior Bowl, his arms measured at 8 3/4 inches, which is deemed small on the NFL stage. However, his arms measured at 9 3/8 inches on the NFL Combine, which is taken into account common dimension for a quarterback and larger than Ward (9 inches) and equal to Sanders (9 3/8 inches).
“It was wrong, they did it wrong,” says Milroe whereas laughing in regards to the measurement on the Senior Bowl. “They just did it wrong.”
Among the groups which are exhibiting curiosity in him main into the draft are the Seattle Seahawks, Los Angeles Rams and New York Giants.
“I think it’s a great opportunity when you have these meetings, especially close to the draft,” says Milroe within the one-on-one interview on behalf of his partnership with USAA. “Everything is relationship based, for them to be able to hear my story, hear why they coach, X’s and O’s and talk about their schemes.”
Milroe particulars what goes on in these conferences with groups main into the draft and mentions he’s met with “a lot” of groups.
“During the whole process, I was able to meet a lot of teams,” Milroe says. “With those teams, specifically installations are involved, their process, understanding the day in the life of them. Say I was a quarterback for that team, just being able to know what’s asked of the quarterback each and every day and the standard.”
Meeting With Rams Went ‘Great’
The dual-threat quarterback is from Texas and singles out his go to to the Seahawks’ facility contemplating he had by no means been to Seattle prior, saying the surroundings was “crazy” in a great way.
Just previous to the interview, Milroe had met with the Rams, calling it a “great” assembly.
“I just met with the Rams,” Milroe particulars. “Great meeting with them. No matter what team it is, it is so important just to talk ball with them, get an understanding of how I view X’s and O’s and the process of it is big. The meeting went well. Every one of them, I leave out, and they leave out so impressed with me.”
The 6-foot-2 quarterback explains why the method of assembly in individual with groups is pivotal.
“It’s different from watching tape,” says Milroe. “To meet me in person and just be able to hear my process, hear everything as a whole, me as a player, my preparational phase that people miss, the intelligence I have. Every team I meet, they all leave impressed.”
Milroe’s persona and management traits stand out because of his maturity. A variety of that stems from coming from a army background — each of his dad and mom served — and likewise when contemplating he started his profession because the backup to Bryce Young at Alabama. Young ultimately turned the No. 1 decide within the 2023 NFL Draft of the Carolina Panthers.
He particulars how that have has ready him for “adaptability” on the NFL stage. In different phrases, he’s ready to play any function, which suggests backup throughout his rookie season. Considering the groups which are thinking about him all have veterans entrenched because the starters, Milroe must be ready to doubtlessly sit out most, if not his complete rookie season.
Milroe additionally particulars how he stays near Young to today and the way he can all the time lean on the third-year quarterback for recommendation. He additionally brings up how any of the Alabama quarterbacks within the NFL — Jalen Hurts, Tua Tagovailoa and Mac Jones are a number of — or any veteran signal-callers are all the time a “phone call away.”
“I was able to see Bryce when I was in California,” says Milroe. “I trained in California, he trained in California. I was able to see him. No matter if we’re in person or not, everyone’s a phone call away. I’ll be able to talk to everybody during this process.”
Milroe mentions the way it’s essential to repeatedly “grow your mindset” and says you try this by listening to others who have already got the expertise that you just don’t have.
“What I enjoy the most is hearing from people that have been through the process, living in the shoes that I do,” says Milroe. “Playing the quarterback position, it’s a tough position. It’s so important that you continually grow your mindset, build on your craft, not getting complacent. Having mental toughness, but also being around people with knowledge that you do not have.”
DJ Siddiqi is a sports activities reporter who focuses on soccer, basketball, baseball and professional wrestling. He has lined among the greatest sporting occasions, together with the NBA Finals and Wrestlemania and sometimes interviews high-profile athletes. Siddiqi has interviewed the likes of Dan Marino, Emmitt Smith, Shaquille O’Neal, Tony Hawk and Giannis Antetokounmpo.
