There is a lot of uncertainty with the QB options in the 2025 NFL Draft, but one thing most seem to agree on is that Jalen Milroe will not have a long NFL career as a QB. He may go down as one of the most polarizing players in Alabama football, who brought a lot of joy as well as frustrations to the Alabama fan base. His running abilities will always be his strength, and why some NFL scouts are willing to compare him to the likes of Cam Newton or Lamar Jackson. Personally, I think either is a generous comparison as both were far more polished as passers going into the NFL Draft.
Jalen never evolved as a passer in Tuscaloosa, and that will not work in the NFL. He has a cannon for an arm, but didn't learn how to check down or how to read a defense. To be fair I am not convinced that either of his offensive coordinators did him any justice in college with the schemes being ran, but the NFL is a different beast. There is a reason a lot of people say NFL means Not For Long.
As many have found out and will continue to find out is there is no patience in the NFL especially at the QB position. Jalen didn't shine at the combine or Alabama Pro Day to help his draft stock much from what the tapes tell teams about his on-field play. It will be very interesting to see which team takes a chance on Jalen as well as what round he is drafted in. He is bold going to the draft considering how unlikely he is to be drafted that first night, and we know the longer you are there on camera, the tougher it can get.
Jalen is going to work hard and appears to be a good locker room guy, which bodes well in the NFL, but as a starting QB in the I just don't see it. There are only 32 spots, and outside of him stepping in for an injured QB or in mop-up/end-of-season situations, he isn't going to see the field. Obviously, life as a backup quarterback can be lucrative and can be a career option, just ask Chase Daniels. Knowing Milroe's competitive nature, I know he is going to want to be a starter, but realistically, the only way I see him being a consistent starter would be as a running back or slot receiver with his eye-popping athletic abilities. I know he isn't going to accept being anything other than a QB, and though the road is going to be tough, I wish him the best as he transitions from Alabama to life in the NFL.