Perhaps Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Jalen Milroe should stay in school after an underwhelming performance against Michigan in the ReliaQuest Bowl on New Year’s Eve.
247 Sports’ Alex Scarborough recently reported that Milroe (6-foot-2, 225 pounds) is expected to enter the 2025 NFL Draft, scheduled for April 24-26 in Green Bay. However, the junior didn’t look pro-ready in a 19-13 loss to the Wolverines.
In the first quarter, Milroe had three turnovers (two fumbles and one interception).
Milroe finished 16-of-32 passing for 192 yards and one touchdown. He also threw an incompletion on a 4th-and-10 at Michigan’s 15-yard line with 49 seconds left.
Wolverines starting cornerback Will Johnson and starting defensive tackle Mason Graham opted out of the bowl game to prepare for the draft. Flopping against backups may raise more concerns about Milroe, who likely needed an excellent game to boost his stock.
“The biggest remaining question is whether Milroe can marry his footwork to his release timing on underneath throws,” ESPN’s Jordan Reid recently wrote. “While his deep passing is a strength and his accuracy on intermediate throws has improved, he still takes too long to get the ball out on throws in which he’s asked to make pre-snap reads and execute.”
It appears Milroe is struggling to do that. In his first 12 starts, he threw 15 touchdowns and a career-high 10 interceptions.
He has been learning a new system. This past offseason, Alabama hired head coach Kalen DeBoer to replace seven-time national champion Nick Saban.
Still, it’s surprising Milroe hasn’t thrived with DeBoer. While he was Washington’s head coach from 2022-23, he mentored Atlanta Falcons QB Michael Penix Jr., the eighth overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft.
If Milroe enters the draft, don’t be surprised if he is a second-rounder. In Tankathon’s latest mock draft, the New York Giants (3-13) take him with pick No. 35.
While Milroe has some upside, he may need more time to develop. Returning to Alabama in 2025 could help him do that.
