How early should Jalen Milroe go in the 2025 NFL Draft? Experts make the case for and against first round draft capital
The 2025 NFL Draft isn't exactly considered stacked at the quarterback position, but former Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe is at least considered to have extremely high upside. Yes, he is flawed and inconsistent, but that's what makes the debate surrounding him so intriguing this spring.Our A to Z Sports team of NFL Draft analysts made […]
The 2025 NFL Draft isn't exactly considered stacked at the quarterback position, but former Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe is at least considered to have extremely high upside. Yes, he is flawed and inconsistent, but that's what makes the debate surrounding him so intriguing this spring.
Our A to Z Sports team of NFL Draft analysts made the case for and against Jalen Milroe as a potential first round pick. Each one understands his physical gifts and enticing upside, but how early should he really go in the NFL Draft? Each analyst lays it all their argument to help you decide just how early Jalen Milroe should go in the 2025 NFL Draft.
The case for Jalen Milroe as an early round QB
When it comes to quarterbacks that I am going to bet on, Milroe goes right to the top of the list. Why? He’s got an insane athletic profile with a cannon for an arm.
We’ve seen these players come out before. Josh Allen has had a ton of success, but Malik Willis and Anthony Richardson have not panned out so far. Why is Milroe different? He has two seasons of high level flashes in the SEC with 4.4 speed and an arm that can make every throw in the book. His consistency has been very sporadic, but it got better as the 2024 season progressed. We also saw real growth from him during the draft process, showing improved mechanics at the Senior Bowl.
I comped Milroe to Jalen Hurts, but the Lamborghini version. Give him the same development plan and watch him thrive. – Tyler Forness
Unlike the rest of this quarterback class, Jalen Milroe has the tools worth the investment (and development he’ll need). He’s one of the most gifted rushing quarterbacks in recent memory with the best arm in the class. I also don’t believe he is as raw as consensus seemingly dictates, as there are encouraging stretches of games regarding his processing ability. Several quarterbacks currently starting in the NFL are below average processors, and some of them have achieved success without that ability. Why not Milroe? Milroe has to refine his lower half and become more comfortable in the pocket, but he has the tools worth banking on in Day 2 (if not earlier). – AJ Schulte
The 2025 NFL Draft class has a quarterback of every kind, and Jalen Milroe might offer the highest upside of them all thanks to his athleticism. Unfortunately there’s much more to playing quarterback at a high level than just being the best athlete on the field on every single play. Although, being a freak athlete certainly helps.
Jalen Milroe operated as a fun, explosive all-or-nothing passer at quarterback, throwing 16 touchdowns to 11 touchdowns, connecting on deep balls while also missing easy short passes. He racked up 20 touchdowns on the ground as he led Alabama’s rushing attack from the QB position too.
The frustrating part of Jalen Milroe’s game is the inconsistency. He can complete 71% of his passes for three touchdowns in a near perfect performance one week, but then throw two or three interceptions and fail to find the end zone at all the next. He will miss a three-yard throw, but then drop a dime 50 yards down the field. It’s that inconsistency that could mar his NFL career forever. Or, his athleticism, arm strength, and big-play ability could be what sets him apart as he develops into a Lamar Jackson or Jalen Hurts kind of dual-threat nightmare at QB.
That wild variance in what we see from him makes Milroe easily the most volatile quarterback prospect in the class. There’s an argument he could be the QB2. But he could also end up worse than 10 passers in the 2025 NFL Draft class if he doesn’t clean up the little things. Regardless of that variance he’s still worth a shot inside the Top 50 picks or higher based on traits and upside alone. – Travis May
If you're going to swing on a quarterback in this class, it's Jalen Milroe. There's a high chance he doesn't work out, or that his second team gets more out of him if the initial staff doesn't properly handle his development. Still, it's worth risking a top 40 pick on someone who will immediately have one of the strongest arms and better rushing abilities in the NFL.
Getting Milroe into a more structured offense and limiting his responsibilities is the path to success. Much like we saw with Josh Allen and Jalen Hurts, Milroe needs guardrails with calculated points of freedom so he can learn and improve. You have to risk it to get the biscuit sometimes, and Milroe is that dice roll for greatness. – Ian Valentino
Alabama’s Jalen Milroe is one of the most intriguing QBs in this class due to the super human athleticism he possesses. The issue is he still has a lot of work to do before he is polished enough as a passer to be a player a team will trust to be their consistent QB on a week to week basis. If a team has a short term starter already in place, Milroe seems like a solid option to take in the second round or even the latter half of the first if a team values the fifth year option that comes with that. It does seem important to note that the accuracy issues Milroe put on display at the Senior Bowl were certainly worrisome. And that's just one of the many reasons I personally would take Shedeur Sanders or Jaxson Dart over him. – Destin Adams
The case against Jalen Milroe as an early round QB
For Jalen Milroe, it’s going to come down to two simple things: proper valuation and fit. This is not a quarterback who should do much, if at all, in 2025. We saw some pleasant early flashes last season, but then saw Milroe crash back to reality with inconsistency. This is a quarterback that needs to be broken down to the studs and built back up. There are clearly tools to work with, but this is a raw kid with a lot to learn.
There’s a solid chance that Milroe will end up getting overrated. He possesses a sturdy frame and is one of the better athletes that has come out at the quarterback position, ever. Milroe’s arm is also incredibly strong, and throws a very catchable deep ball. There’s a lot to like, but Milroe is the definition of a boom or bust prospect. He could end up being as good as his situation, or as bad as his developer. – Ryan Roberts
Jalen Milroe is a very tricky evaluation. For one, the person couldn't be any better. Dedicated, driven, an alpha, and a leader, he was born to play quarterback. Add on the fact that he may have the best arm in the class, a terrific deep ball, and game-breaking speed, and you wonder why he’s not the first pick in the draft. Two words: instincts and inconsistency. Milroe struggles to read the field and deliver from the pocket. Jis accuracy and touch can be pristine on one play and scattershot on the next. That doesn't mean he’s not worth taking a flier on, but round one is too rich for my blood, and I bleed crimson. – Rob Gregson
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If you want to see some of the highlight plays that demonstrate the crazy upside that comes with Jalen Milroe just check out the video below.
