When Jalen Milore declared for the upcoming draft at the start of this year, the decision divided opinion. Alabama’s redshirt junior QB Milroe had his second year starting for the program. While there were some high points as he kept Alabama in contention for the playoffs, shock losses to Vanderbilt and defeats to Tennessee and Oklahoma raised a concern. Many experts see him as a sure-shot top 5 pick in the draft, but others believe he would fall out of the first round entirely. Well, with the Senior Bowl bowl underway, Milroe has done little to quell the doubts around him.

At Alabama Crimson Tide, he was both electric and erratic, capable of dazzling highlight-reel plays but also frustrating inconsistencies that made it hard to fully buy into his potential as a franchise quarterback. He completed over 64% of his passes during his two years as a starter and racked up 39 passing touchdowns, yet those raw numbers don’t tell the whole story. His success often came in moments when he could rely on his legs to extend plays, creating a sense that he thrived in chaos rather than excelling within structure.

This has led to varied projections for Milroe’s NFL landing spot. The Athletic in its latest mock draft predicted that Milroe will be second round by the New York Giants with the No. 34 overall pick. However, CBS Sports remains high on the QB, putting him as the No. 3 overall pick for the Giants.

That’s why this Senior Bowl week was supposed to be so crucial for Jalen Milroe. It was his opportunity to step onto the field in Mobile, Alabama, and show that he could thrive in a more structured environment, making NFL-level throws against top-tier competition. Instead, the early reports have not been kind.

The scouts got to see Milroe in action as practices began for Saturday’s game, but the Alabama QB had a less-than-impressive showing. According to Bleacher Report’s Scouting Department: “Milroe did not push the ball down the field much and went to his check-down fairly quickly. He held the football longer and allowed the pocket to collapse as well.”

Milore reportedly completed just two passes during the period and at one point missed eight straight passes. According to NFL Rookie Watch, Milroe “had an extremely hard time” standing out during practice, struggling with accuracy and throwing interceptions.

One anonymous graded Milroe C- so far this week in Mobile and said, “The ceiling is hall-of-fame level. The floor is a fireable offense for a general manager and coach. Where does he fall in between? It will depend on the system goes to.”  This showing doesn’t bode well for Milroe especially when quarterbacks like Jaxson Dart and Riley Leonard reportedly looked sharper in the same setting.

The concerns about his accuracy aren’t new, but they are magnified when put into a setting like the Senior Bowl, where quarterbacks need to showcase precision against elite defenders. This brings back unwanted memories for Ryan Williams when he did the same against Vandy and Michigan and put him under pressure. That’s where Milroe appears to be faltering. It’s one thing to have a bad day, but when it comes to an event specifically designed to help scouts separate legitimate first-round talents from mid-round projects, every rep matters.

Milroe had the chance to impress the scouts and redeem himself on the second day and while his performance improved slightly than his first outing there seems to be a long way to go for him.

He did put up a show at times including a big completion down the field to TCU wide receiver Jack Bech. The QB also showcased routes he has good chemistry with, making a precise throw to UCF running back RJ Harvey on a wheel route. But there were some setbacks such as the pass to Delaware running back Marcus Yarns, which flew five yards over his head. In addition, he also one-hopped a ball short to Arian Smith of Georgia.

Having a bad day out at the Senior Bowl is not the end of the road. Last Michael Penix Jr. and Bo Nix struggled in Mobile and both became first-round picks and have had productive seasons as NFL rookies. Besides, Milroe was still praised for his arm strength and how he has a different zip on his throws than the other QBs in practice.

Milroe wrapped up the last season at Alabama with 2,844 passing yards, 726 yards rushing, 36 total touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. He would have hoped to start on a strong note to impress the scouts. But so far that has not been the case. One thing to note, however, is that at the Senior Bowl QB is perhaps the hardest position to excel because you have no timing and no reps with any of the receivers you are playing with.

Not to mention, these drills are not designed to allow quarterbacks to scramble, resulting in no extended plays by guys who thrive by using their legs, such as Milroe.

But for now, there is work to do. Wyatt Fulton of Tide 1009.com, “The former Alabama signal caller is currently being graded anywhere from top-20 to a late-day two pick in the NFL draft.”

Some mock drafts still have him pegged as a potential top-5 pick, while others suggest he belongs somewhere in the mid-rounds. Some of the other quarterbacks expected to be in the mix for that third spot behind Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders include Kyle McCord, Jaxson Dart, and Quinn Ewers. It is now even clearer that he doesn’t have the passing numbers of the three mentioned.

On his own roster, Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart and Notre Dame’s Riley Leonard are pushing Milroe for that No. 3 quarterback spot in the draft and both had a better showing them him on the two days.

This doesn’t mean Jalen Milroe is doomed. But it does reinforce why his draft stock has been so volatile. This Senior Bowl performance, unless he drastically turns things around, is only going to validate the skeptics. The NFL has seen this type of prospect before—an elite athlete with tantalizing traits but enough passing deficiencies to make teams nervous. Players like Malik Willis and Anthony Richardson have shown that sometimes the upside is worth betting on, but teams also remember the ones who never put it all together.

Milroe still has time to shift the narrative. He has one more Senior Bowl day to go, followed by pro days, and the NFL Combine that will give him other opportunities to show improvement. But right now, he’s trending in the wrong direction.

‘Do-not-touch’ Jalen Milroe!

Jalen Milroe’s first day at the Senior Bowl didn’t exactly go as planned. Still, scouts love his arm strength, his mobility, and his ability to make things happen off-script—but they worry about his accuracy, his decision-making under pressure, and whether he can be relied upon to consistently deliver precise throws at the next level. It didn’t take long for critics to pounce. Brooks Austin of the On SI Network even took to X to label Milroe as a “do not touch” prospect for the upcoming NFL Draft.

Austin added, “I never saw growth in his ability to read the field, anticipate throws, and win from the pocket apart from straight verticals. There’s very little of the game on Sunday won the way he won games in college.” Now, this isn’t the kind of buzz Milroe was hoping for, especially with reports that the Pittsburgh Steelers have shown interest in him. A shaky showing like this could make teams think twice about investing in him. Although this was just one day.

Milroe still has time to course-correct, and one area where he can truly shine is the NFL Combine. If he decides to run the 40-yard dash, his elite athleticism and speed could be his ticket to rebuilding momentum.