The 2025 NFL Draft quarterback class doesn't look to be the strongest in recent memory. Of course, nobody is going to expect a repeat of the 2024 NFL Draft class that set a record for six quarterbacks taken in the top 12 picks. What wasn't expected is a subpar group that evoked memories of the 2022 class.
Led by Georgia's Carson Beck, Texas' Quinn Ewers and Colorado's Shedeur Sanders, there is talent on the board, but nobody screams top-10 pick like Caleb Williams and Drake Maye did going into the 2023 season.
The draft class is begging for someone to step up and claim the top spot and there is one prospect who can save this class: Alabama's Jalen Milroe.
Background
Milroe was a four-star recruit in the 2021 recruiting class out of Katy, Texas and committed to Alabama. He sat behind Bryce Young for two years and briefly started in 2022 while Young was injured. Milroe won the starting job going into 2023 and things didn't start off well.
Milroe was benched two games into the 2023 season after the Texas game where he was a disaster. He completed 51.9% of his passes against the Longhorns with two interceptions and four turnover-worthy plays. The move to bench him for Notre Dame transfer Tyler Buchner against South Florida nearly led to an upset and Milroe was back as the starter the following week against Ole Miss. In that game, he started to display why he could be the next talented quarterback loaded with traits.
Arm talent in bounds
Milroe has traits for days. He is 6020 and 220 lbs and plays up to his size. As a runner, he knows how to use his size while also having a very strong arm.
We will talk about his mechanics later on because it's an issue. It's also an issue on the below play where he has no base under him. However, the arm bails him out because it's on a different level.
Watching this play gets me excited. Hitting this throw without being able to step into it or even move his feet is tremendous. Not only does he have plenty of juice on the throw, but it's an accurate 40+ yard strike. You can't count on that all the time but being able to do that can separate the good from the great.
It's not just plays like that which show off his bonkers arm, he started flashing the ability to layer the ball in with touch. It's a must for every quarterback in the NFL to be able to do.
These throws are a necessity to make it in the NFL and showing the ability to do so now is a great thing, especially with how raw he is.
Raw notwithstanding, Milroe's advanced metrics are impressive. His adjusted completion percentage as a first-year starter was 73.0% with an aDOT of 13.4. He was consistently driving the ball down the field to a wide receiver group who vastly underperformed based on their talent level. Milroe often had to put the Crimson Tide on his back offensively to help them win games.
Dual-threat ability
Milroe isn't just a quarterback with arm talent, he is dangerous as a runner as well.
Milroe ran 129 times for 806 yards and 12 touchdowns, including a 164 yard, four-touchdown performance against LSU. Milroe had 6 explosive runs of 15+ yards and 35 of them of 10+ this past season, forcing 35 missed tackles and 499 yards after contact.
The impressive thing about Milroe isn't as much that he's a really good runner but rather he doesn't default to that option. He wants to beat you with his arm.
There are two plays above in there where Milroe could have decided to take off and use his legs. His first premonition is to stay in the pocket and beat you down the field with his arm. That's a great thing to have, especially since running is a great fallback for a college quarterback and a crutch many often use.
He doesn't possess the same kind of pocket presence that Anthony Richardson had at Florida as he was elite at maneuvering in the pocket, but the willingness to continue looking down the field is 1:1.
Jalen Milroe is raw beyond words
There are so many positives to a player like Milroe. Right now, he is raw as a traditional quarterback but he makes it work. It's not too dissimilar to a player like Aaron Rodgers where quarterback coaches are incredibly frustrated because he can make things work.
Milroe has examples littered throughout his tape of making throws that look awful mechanically but just work.
Nothing about this looks great except for two things: raw arm strength and the fact that it worked. Milroe did put the ball in a spot where only his receiver can get it but it's an ugly play that works.
The mechanics are a real worry with Milroe but he is still just 21 years old and a second-year starting quarterback. There are way too many throws like this on his tape.
I'm not a big believer in comps. It's not a benefit to anyone to force a comparison to an NFL player. However, it sometimes just fits like a glove and makes complete sense.
When I watch Milroe, I get some vibes of early career Aaron Rodgers. He's not Rodgers nor am I saying that he's going to be a future Hall of Famer. However, it's an interesting link between the two players and one that you can use as both a positive and a negative.
How Jalen Milroe can become QB1
This is where things get interesting. Everything about Milroe offers a lot of intrigue that the rest of the class doesn't have. He has the strongest arm of the class and is arguably the best dual-threat as well.
The big thing with Milroe is the lack of polish and mechanical issues. Saying that Milroe has footwork would be incredibly nice. He's not even close to having decent footwork and uses his arm almost exclusively.
The plus side here is that Milroe is young and will be coached by Kalen DeBoer who made Michael Penix Jr. a top-10 pick. You can't teach the size, arm talent and playmaking ability that Milroe has, but you can teach him mechanics. It's how Josh Allen has seen significant growth since he was drafted and became one of the best players in the NFL.
With a weaker quarterback class, the player loaded with high-level traits feels like a good bet to finish as the top quarterback. He isn't that right now, but one full offseason of development as the starter and a full season starting in the SEC could be exactly what he needs to be the next top quarterback.
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