Jalen Milroe is probably not drafted as excessive as Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders, however he’ll actually hear his identify known as in the course of the 2025 NFL Draft.
The previous Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback is regarded by some because the third-best quarterback prospect on this yr’s draft.
The 22-year-old is coming off of a prolific season through which he posted 36 complete touchdowns (20 dashing) throughout his senior yr with the Crimson Tide.
Coming into the draft, Milroe is arguably essentially 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. Nonetheless, 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 choose. Though he’s not a surefire first-round choose, he’s one of many 17 prospects being invited to the draft in Inexperienced Bay, Wisconsin.
That invite has led to hypothesis that an NFL workforce could also be zeroing in on him as a first-round choose.
“It isn’t for all of you to know,” Milroe advised Card Participant when requested if he has data that he’s being drafted sooner than anticipated. “It’s undoubtedly a dream of mine to attend the draft. I’m so excited to grab the chance. I’ll have the ability to inform my household of my very own at some point that I attended the draft and I’m in a position to seize each alternative of it. I’m fulfilling my dream and I’m going to get pleasure from each little bit of it.”
Senior Bowl Hand Measurement Measurement ‘Was Fallacious’
Whereas Milroe might indirectly 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 matter of his hand measurement main into the draft.
On the Senior Bowl, his fingers measured at 8 3/4 inches, which is deemed small on the NFL stage. Nonetheless, his fingers measured at 9 3/8 inches on the NFL Mix, which is taken into account common measurement for a quarterback and greater than Ward (9 inches) and equal to Sanders (9 3/8 inches).
“It was fallacious, they did it fallacious,” says Milroe whereas laughing concerning the measurement on the Senior Bowl. “They simply did it fallacious.”
Among the many groups which can be exhibiting curiosity in him main into the draft are the Seattle Seahawks, Los Angeles Rams and New York Giants.
“I feel it’s a fantastic alternative when you have got these conferences, particularly near the draft,” says Milroe within the one-on-one interview on behalf of his partnership with USAA. “The whole lot is relationship primarily based, for them to have the ability to hear my story, hear why they coach, X’s and O’s and discuss their schemes.”
Milroe particulars what goes on in these conferences with groups main into the draft and mentions he’s met with “loads” of groups.
“Throughout the entire course of, I used to be in a position to meet loads of groups,” Milroe says. “With these groups, particularly installations are concerned, their course of, understanding the day within the lifetime of them. Say I used to be a quarterback for that workforce, simply having the ability to know what’s requested of the quarterback each day and the usual.”
Assembly With Rams Went ‘Nice’
The twin-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 “loopy” in a great way.
Simply previous to the interview, Milroe had met with the Rams, calling it a “nice” assembly.
“I simply met with the Rams,” Milroe particulars. “Nice assembly with them. It doesn’t matter what workforce it’s, it’s so necessary simply to speak ball with them, get an understanding of how I view X’s and O’s and the method of it’s massive. The assembly went nicely. Each certainly one of them, I miss, and so they miss so impressed with me.”
The 6-foot-2 quarterback explains why the method of assembly in particular person with groups is pivotal.
“It’s totally different from watching tape,” says Milroe. “To satisfy me in particular person and simply have the ability to hear my course of, hear every part as an entire, me as a participant, my preparational part that folks miss, the intelligence I’ve. Each workforce I meet, all of them go away impressed.”
Milroe’s character and management traits stand out as a consequence of his maturity. A variety of that stems from coming from a navy background — each of his mother and father served — and likewise when contemplating he started his profession because the backup to Bryce Younger at Alabama. Younger finally grew to become the No. 1 choose 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 position, which suggests backup throughout his rookie season. Contemplating the groups which can be occupied with him all have veterans entrenched because the starters, Milroe should be ready to probably sit out most, if not his whole rookie season.
Milroe additionally particulars how he stays near Younger to today and the way he can at all times 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 at all times a “telephone name away.”
“I used to be in a position to see Bryce after I was in California,” says Milroe. “I skilled in California, he skilled in California. I used to be in a position to see him. Regardless of if we’re in particular person or not, everybody’s a telephone name away. I’ll have the ability to discuss to all people throughout this course of.”
Milroe mentions the way it’s necessary to repeatedly “develop your mindset” and says you do this by listening to others who have already got the expertise that you just don’t have.
“What I get pleasure from essentially the most is listening to from folks which were by means of the method, residing within the sneakers that I do,” says Milroe. “Taking part in the quarterback place, it’s a troublesome place. It’s so necessary that you just regularly develop your mindset, construct in your craft, not getting complacent. Having psychological toughness, but additionally being round folks with data that you just do not need.”
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DJ Siddiqi is a sports activities reporter who focuses on soccer, basketball, baseball and professional wrestling. He has lined a number of the greatest sporting occasions, together with the NBA Finals and Wrestlemania and infrequently interviews high-profile athletes. Siddiqi has interviewed the likes of Dan Marino, Emmitt Smith, Shaquille O’Neal, Tony Hawk and Giannis Antetokounmpo.
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