Kalen DeBoer candidly explains experience coaching Jalen Milroe, 'Impressive in all ways'
One of the big storylines for Alabama Crimson Tide fans to watch during the 2025 NFL Draft is where Jalen Milroe lands. While we've evaluated Milroe's strengths and weaknesses extensively and projected his accuracy performance to the NFL, there's only so much we know without being in the building every day. Earlier this week, Alabama […]
One of the big storylines for Alabama Crimson Tide fans to watch during the 2025 NFL Draft is where Jalen Milroe lands. While we've evaluated Milroe's strengths and weaknesses extensively and projected his accuracy performance to the NFL, there's only so much we know without being in the building every day.
Earlier this week, Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer went to bat for Milroe. After Milroe logged a terrific Alabama pro day, Deboer wanted to use his platform with the media to go on record about his quarterback.
He explained his experience with Milroe in 2024 after spending multiple years with eventual first-round pick Michael Penix Jr. at Washington. He first commented on Milroe's 40-yard dash, which was timed anywhere from 4.37 to the low 4.5 range.
"The guy is rocked up. He's impressive in all ways," DeBoer told NFL Network. "Glad he ran the time he did. It was a good day for him."
DeBoer then gave a full breakdown on Milroe's physical game and what he sees, which was incredibly insightful given the quarterback's uneven level of play in 2024.
"Ball comes off his hand really well. I thought he threw with good accuracy again. He can throw to all levels of the field. The running piece speaks for itself, because there's so much that he's shown on film the last couple of years. He's not just running to guys, he's running through and by them. That really didn't surprise me as far as how he ran. I think the other stuff is more verification, and elements, and some things under center. Stuff that maybe you didn't get a chance to see as much of, but he looked pretty comfortable."
A lot of the physical gifts have always been obvious with Milroe. His arm strength is excellent and his explosiveness are major selling points beyond his rushing talent. Only Cameron Ward can match Milroe's downfield throwing ability in the 2025 NFL Draft.
However, Milroe's stagnation and struggle to adjust to DeBoer's offense led to questions about whether he'll adapt in the NFL. That's when DeBoer delivered the best part of his review of Milroe.
"When you're the quarterback, it's on another level here at Alabama. He's had the highs and the lows, and he's had to stay the course and just continue to push through. That's part of being a quarterback, and that's only gonna continue to be that case in the NFL. His personality just never wavers.
"He's coming in super early. He's a guy that isn't afraid of the work in all areas, whether it's on the football field, in workouts, in the classroom. He just loves it. The new challenges that come his way, he embraces it. He's always looking to learn and has a growth mindset about him, and really enjoyable to be around."
This is what evaluators and scouts needed to know about Milroe. Oftentimes, its not the physical abilities that determine a player's success in the NFL, but it's their work ethic, ability to adjust quickly, and combining elite traits with the right improvements.
We've had Milroe projected between the second and third round of most our seven-round mock drafts. He's the best athlete of the group, and it'd be exciting to see him land in the right spot for development and earn an opportunity in coming years.
