All eyes are on Jalen Milroe at the Senior Bowl this week and the former Alabama football quarterback will have his game heavily scrutinized in the pre-draft process going into the 2025 NFL Draft.
Milroe has a wide draft range, with some projecting him to go as high as No. 2 overall and others thinking he falls out of the first round entirely. The next couple of months will be huge for Milroe after an uneven final season in Tuscaloosa.
There's one franchise that will have inside information on Milroe and his ability. The Cleveland Browns recently promoted Tommy Rees to offensive coordinator. Rees spent this past season as the team's tight ends coach and is a rising star in the profession. He was Alabama's offensive coordinator during the 2023 season, Nick Saban's final as head coach.
Saban has sung Rees' praises in coaching circles. The former Notre Dame QB took a lot of unjust hate from the Alabama fanbase, but after the offensive struggles in 2024 with a new regime, there's been more of an appreciation for Rees and what he was able to do with Milroe.
Milroe did not have the clunkers he had in 2024 under Rees the year before. Rees seemingly pulled the best out of him. After some early struggles, Milroe was one of the best players in college football down the stretch in 2023, finishing sixth in Heisman Trophy voting and leading Alabama to an SEC Championship and a berth in the College Football Playoff.
Milroe was a more prolific runner in 2024 in Kalen DeBoer's offense, but his passing numbers took a step back:
2023: 65.8 CMP%, 10.0 YPA, 23 TDs, 6 INTs, 172.2 RTG
2024: 64.3 CMP%, 8.9 YPA, 16 TDs, 11 INTs, 148.8 RTG
Milroe's numbers across the board were down and his turnovers were up. While Milroe was criticized in 2023 for not hitting the short and intermediate throws, he more than made up for that with explosive plays down the field. He hit a lot less of those in 2024.
What version of Milroe might we have seen if he had another year of consistent coaching under Rees instead of having to learn a new system?
It's fair to wonder if Rees was a big fan of Milroe during his time in Tuscaloosa. He spearheaded Alabama landing Tyler Buchner in the Transfer Portal from Notre Dame and likely had a say in Milroe being benched after his struggles against Texas.
But there's no questioning that Milroe played his best football at Alabama under Rees' guidance. A reunion with the Cleveland Browns could be in the cards.
The Browns clearly need a QB and have no money to attract one in free agency. Deshaun Watson has been a bust, and the former Clemson QB re-tore his Achilles tendon earlier this month and could ultimately miss the entire 2025 season.
Jameis Winston played okay as the team's starter, and it's possible they'll bring him back as a bridge QB for whoever they end up drafting. Using the No. 2 overall pick on Milroe is risky; if he's their guy, the Browns might be better off exploring options to trade down.
Perhaps the Raiders at No. 6 could be enticed into moving up to draft either Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders. That could allow Cleveland to add another valuable draft pick and lessen the risk of picking Milroe.