Jalen Milroe, QB

Height: 6'2"
Weight: 225 pounds
Age: 22 years old (December 13th, 2002)

Alabama

Year	Completion %	Yards	TDs	INTs
2021	42.9%	41	1	0
2022	58.5%	297	5	3
2023	65.8%	2,834	23	6
2024	64.3%	2,844	16	11

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Pros:

• Elite athleticism
  As dangerous running the ball as he is throwing it, Jalen Milroe draws significant attention from defenders as he starts to move in the pocket. He's powerful as a thrower and runner, plus he has the speed to evade blitzers and explode downfield. NFL play-callers can expand their playbook to include designed runs, RPOs, options, and rollouts and be confident Milroe has the athleticism to make a positive play.
  
  
• Downfield throwing
  While Milroe isn't an aggressive passer, he is tremendous when attacking downfield opportunities. He has a strong, flexible arm that allows him to launch bombs from difficult angles and without being set. His accuracy on deep passes is the best part of his passing profile.
  
  
• Passing efficiency
  Milroe has improved his efficiency each year, blossoming into an explosive threat who takes care of the ball. His turnover-caliber throw rate has plummeted to one of the best in the country, and his adjusted completion rate and average depth of target are elite. He avoids negative plays as well as anyone.
  
  
• More meat on the bone
  On top of great physical traits and improving his process, there's still a lot of room to get better with his mental acuity and throwing motion. Milroe is functional in the meantime and isn't at risk of forcing turnovers, making him a unique prospect who can hit the field early and grow over several years.

JALEN MILROE! GONE!

Jalen outruns the entire 2nd level of the LSU defense for six!https://t.co/FEykdHXXdY

— Sidelines – Bama (@SSN_Alabama) November 10, 2024

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Cons:

• Mental processing
  Milroe is able to see where he shouldn't throw, but he doesn't always know where or when to release the ball to keep the offense in rhythm. Kalen DeBoer's scheme has challenged Milroe to grow, and while Milroe has played well enough and avoided turnovers well, his explosive throw rate has plummeted. His pre- and post-snap understanding and anticipation of leverage must improve to build a sustainably good NFL offense. This is all reflected in his time-to-throw rate as well.
  
  
• Passing mechanics
  Effective when throwing over the middle and to his right, Milroe's passing mechanics break down when he targets his left or after resetting his feet in the pocket. There's a lot of movement in Milroe's upper body, contributing to his average ball placement, rhythm, and some ugly misses. Everything needs tightening, including his footwork, step depth, and tying his upper body to his hips. He can be accurate, but he's not overly precise when it matters most on timing routes.
  
  
• Hero ball
  Most of Milroe's best plays come when he tucks the ball in and extends the play. He has time-to-throw balloons when he's under pressure, and he wants to go downfield and attack when the defense lacks numbers on the back end. He has to find a better balance in these moments because he puts the offense at risk of holding penalties and sacks, and he's especially reckless when pressured. 

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Player Evaluation:

Jalen Milroe is the x-factor of this draft class, if he enters. His mental processing and throwing motion need work for him to reach his ceiling as a star NFL quarterback. However, Milroe avoids turnovers and plays to his strengths well enough to believe he can be functional while those things improve. He's so explosive as a power runner and downfield thrower that there's reason to believe a strong structure can ease him into an ideal developmental path. It's easy to justify taking Milroe early because his tools are so good and there's so much room to continue growing.

Player Comparison:

Pro Comp: Jalen Hurts with shades of Bo Nix
A natural runner with an explosive skill set, the devil will be in the details for Milroe. He can sometimes turtle and become a check-down merchant when he's not confident in his accuracy and leverage reads, but there's room in the NFL for that to be functional. He's worth an investment and risk but will need a patient coaching staff. 

A to Z Rankings:

A to Z Big Board Ranking: #26 overall, #3 quarterback

A to Z Draft Grade: 8.56

Draft projection: Late first round