Colin Cowherd dropped a potential first-round landing spot for Jalen Milroe that makes a ton of sense
There aren't many interesting NFL free agents left who will have a major impact on the race to the postseason in 2025, except for quarterback Aaron Rodgers. It seems as though the 41-year-old is deciding whether he'd rather retire or play for the Pittsburgh Steelers this coming fall. According to Fox Sports analyst Colin Cowherd, […]
There aren't many interesting NFL free agents left who will have a major impact on the race to the postseason in 2025, except for quarterback Aaron Rodgers. It seems as though the 41-year-old is deciding whether he'd rather retire or play for the Pittsburgh Steelers this coming fall.
According to Fox Sports analyst Colin Cowherd, the Steelers would love to pair former Alabama star quarterback Jalen Milroe with Rodgers. Cowherd went so far as to say an NFL executive believes the Steelers will take Milroe 21st overall in April's draft.
“I’m told the Steelers really like Jalen Milroe. Twenty-first pick, first round. So if Aaron signs with Pittsburgh, it’s gonna become Kirk Cousins. They’re taking a quarterback. If the 21st pick, Milroe’s not taken, Pittsburgh is leaning now and taking him," said Cowherd via Twitter personality Dov Kleiman.
Milroe, who has struggled thus far throughout the 2025 NFL Draft process, has more often been projected as a Day 2 pick. However, his excellent pro day performance may have been enough to convince teams that his long-term potential is worth overlooking some of his obvious warts.
Recently, Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer reinforced just how hard of a worker Milroe is.
"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."
Milroe's oft-maligned accuracy and limitations as a processor are certainly concerning for prospective teams. A team would have to be over the moon in love with Milroe's dynamic running ability to take him in the first. This rumor is reminiscent of how Pittsburgh head coach Mike Tomlin supposedly "loved" Malik Willis in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Not only did Pittsburgh not take Willis in that draft, but they selected Kenny Pickett in the first round. So much for those sources.
However, Milroe is a better prospect than Willis was, and it's possible the former Tide dynamo's draft floor isn't much lower than No. 21. Considering the latest noise that Cleveland is leaning toward going with Abdul Carter at No. 2 instead of Shedeur Sanders, Milroe reuniting with Tommy Rees at the No. 33 pick seems plausible.
Milroe fans should probably prefer he goes to the most stable franchise in pro sports than a place where quarterbacks go to die. But will that happen in the first round? We'll find out in less than one month.
