
via Imago
Oct 5, 2024; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer talks with quarterback Jalen Milroe (4) during the second half against the Vanderbilt Commodores at FirstBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-Imagn Images

via Imago
Oct 5, 2024; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer talks with quarterback Jalen Milroe (4) during the second half against the Vanderbilt Commodores at FirstBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-Imagn Images
As Jalen Milroe continues “gaining steam” in 2025 NFL Draft circles, the former Alabama QB1 is heading into three more official visits. According to FOX Sports’ Jordan Schultz, JM recently met with the Cleveland Browns earlier this week and now has 3 more trips lined up. But while NFL teams seem to be doing their due diligence on the electric dual-threat QB, the buzz outside the league offices paints a far more complicated picture. Milroe might be making rounds on private jets, but among fans and analysts, the seatbelt sign is still very much on.
Despite his physical gifts and tantalizing upside, Jalen Milroe’s draft stock has struggled to find serious altitude. According to this week’s NFL Mock Draft Consensus, compiled from over a dozen reputable boards, Milroe failed to crack even one first-round projection. In fact, the last time he appeared in a single top-32 mock was weeks ago. Back in early March — and even that seemed more speculative than solid. The gap between his raw tools and NFL readiness remains a chasm, one that many scouts and evaluators aren’t confident he can leap just yet.
The former Crimson Tide signal-caller checks all the boxes — on paper. At 6-foot-2 and 217 pounds, Milroe has the body of a linebacker and the wheels of a track star. At the NFL Combine. Recorded the highest athleticism score of any quarterback — a staggering 99. Reminding scouts that the ceiling here is dizzyingly high. But those numbers can be deceiving. Throwing in shorts, with no pass rush and no coverage, isn’t exactly a valid simulation of third-and-11 in the fourth quarter of an NFL game. And yet, NFL media is pushing the highlight reel — whether fans buy it or not.
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That became glaringly obvious when the league’s official account posted a shiny, edited clip of Milroe delivering dimes and explosive running ability. Just as FedEx Air and Ground does (of course, it was sponsored). The caption? “Jalen Milroe can do it all at the QB position.” One that predictably threw gasoline on an already smoldering comment section. While the league sees an athletic marvel with upside oozing from every throw and sprint, many fans see something closer to déjà vu — and not in a good way.
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It’s not that Milroe hasn’t shown flashes. He had stretches at Alabama where he looked like the second coming of Cam Newton — strong, mobile, and fearless. But those moments were offset by frustrating inconsistency, questionable decision-making, and a tendency to rely too heavily on his legs when things broke down. He doesn’t have the processing speed of a pro-ready starter, nor does he have the ability to read coverages. Particularly post-snap — has drawn scrutiny. That’s a red flag in a league where windows close faster than a New York minute. Jalen Milroe remains one of the most intriguing and polarizing prospects in this class. On one hand, there’s undeniable star potential in his DNA.
On the other hand, the tape suggests he’s nowhere near being a Day 1 contributor. If you’re the Giants, Rams, or Seahawks. You’re meeting him next because maybe, just maybe, you believe your coaching staff can unlock that potential over time. But betting on projection over production has burned teams before — and the fans are making sure everyone remembers exactly that.
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Fans Call out ‘Combine’ Propaganda around Jalen Milroe
When the NFL’s official post began making the rounds, the reactions were swift, brutal, and, in some cases, hilarious. One user didn’t mince words, writing, “Combine propaganda will not be tolerated.” The idea that throwing against air and running a fast 40 can overshadow game film has long been a sticking point — and Milroe, fairly or not, is becoming the latest face of that frustration.
Another fan took a more personal route, quipping, “Not when I bet the house on him against Michigan.” That game — a blowout loss in the Bowl game. That exposed many of the same issues scouts are still wrestling with. Milroe’s inability to adjust, his erratic throwing under pressure, and his tendency to force plays became glaring in the bright lights of the postseason. Then came the stinger of a comparison: “Justin Fields, Anthony Richardson, now Milroe 😂 y’all will never learn.” It’s not hard to see where that skepticism stems from. Fields and Richardson, both elite athletes with rocket arms, were drafted high and billed as franchise saviors.
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However, Fields struggled with consistency in Chicago, and Richardson’s rookie campaign in Indianapolis was marred by injuries and growing pains. Milroe is now lumped into that archetype: elite traits, limited polish, and questionable long-term return. And perhaps the most blunt take of all: “He’s literally a third-round version of Anthony Richardson, I loved Milroe at Bama at times but he isn’t a day 1 NFL starter, he’s a career backup at best.” That line cuts to the core of the conversation. Even supporters of Milroe are acknowledging that his NFL arc might mirror that of someone like Jacoby Brissett or Tyrod Taylor. A capable backup and occasional spot starter but rarely the long-term answer.
Not everyone has to be a franchise guy. But the dissonance between how teams are treating Jalen Milroe and how fans perceive him is growing by the day.
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