Jalen Milroe Sends Clear Message to NFL After Browns HC Kevin Stafanski Breaks Myth Around the QB

The 2025 NFL Draft may not have the same quarterback frenzy we’ve seen in recent years, but don’t let the calm fool you—Jalen Milroe is making some serious noise. Not long ago, Milroe was seen as an athletic marvel with a cannon for an arm and wheels on his feet—but still raw. Just a year back, he wasn’t even mentioned in the same breath as top-tier QB prospects like Shedeur Sanders or Cam Ward. He was sitting in the mid-round conversation, mostly praised for potential, not polish. Now? That conversation has changed in a big way.

Milroe used the Combine and Alabama’s Pro Day like a launchpad. His confidence, growth, and raw measurables have catapulted him into the top-five QB discussion. He’s no longer just a freak athlete playing quarterback—he’s looking more and more like an NFL quarterback with freakish athleticism. And he’s letting everyone know it.

“I am capable of doing it,” Milroe said on the NFL Network’s Path to the Draft program. “One thing that’s for certain is that no matter what it is… I am capable of doing it.” Milroe’s numbers don’t lie. During the 2024 season, he threw for 2,844 yards with 16 touchdowns and added enough on the ground to become just one of the five players in SEC history with 15+ passing and 15+ rushing TDs that season. In fact, in 2023-24, he’s the only FBS quarterback with 30+ passing and 30+ rushing touchdowns. That’s elite, period.

Sure, there were rough patches. He tossed 11 interceptions and had an ugly outing against Oklahoma (24-3), completing just 11-of-26 for just 164 yards and three interceptions without recording a touchdown. But there were also monster games—like the LSU showdown where he torched the Tigers for 185 rushing yards and four touchdowns. That game was a statement. And now, he’s sending another one.

“One thing that was for certain was the growth and knowledge base that goes from the 2023 season to 2024,” Milroe said. “Because you play differently when you have knowledge and experience.” He’s not just growing physically. Mentally, he’s stepped up too. One of Milroe’s biggest strengths? Adaptability. He’s already played under three different offensive coordinators at Alabama—Bill O’Brien, Nick Sheridan, and Tommy Rees. That kind of turnover would derail most college QBs, but Milroe used it as a learning opportunity.

“I think what factors into why I made the decision to go out into this draft was my experience having three different coordinators,” Milroe explained. “No matter where I go in the future, I’m gonna have to learn a new offense as well as playing for a different coach and understanding how they do football.”

This is exactly why teams see Jalen Milroe as a developmental prospect with long-term starter potential. He’s shown he can adjust and lead, even in the SEC pressure cooker. As Milroe put it, being the QB1 for a powerhouse like Alabama made him “NFL-ready.” And the league is paying attention.

The Raiders have been active this offseason. They cut Gardner Minshew II and traded for Geno Smith, who’s likely their 2025 starter. But behind him? Just Aidan O’Connell. That opens the door for a young QB to come in, develop, and eventually take over. Someone like Milroe.

Vegas has been connected to him throughout the pre-draft process. If they grab him in the later rounds, letting him sit behind Smith for a season or two, the long-term payoff could be huge. Milroe isn’t a plug-and-play QB just yet—but with time and the right coaching, he could become a dynamic starter.

The best part? He’s not trying to fit into anyone’s narrow mold.

Kevin Stefanski breaks the mold

At his Pro Day, Jalen Milroe blazed a 4.37-second unofficial (4.40 official) 40-yard dash that turned heads across the league. That speed would be elite for a running back—let alone a quarterback. But labeling him as just a runner misses the point entirely.

Milroe has strength, a cannon for an arm, and that rare playmaking spark. And finally, people are starting to see the full picture. One of the people who truly gets it? Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski. While most continue to pigeonhole Milroe as “just a runner,” Stefanski is one of the few coaches willing to speak up about the QB’s entire skill set.

“I don’t see him just as a runner,” Stefanski said. “That’s certainly an element of his game. God’s blessed him with the ability to make plays with his feet when necessary. But he’s made plenty of throws in his career… I think he’s done a really nice job just throughout this process.”

With Deshaun Watson’s Achilles still an issue and Kenny Pickett projected to start, Cleveland sits at No. 2 overall and No. 33 in Round 2 of 2025 NFL Draft, among others. A lot of buzz surrounds Shedeur Sanders for that early pick, but what if Stefanski sees something in Milroe?

“I think you’re always looking at mechanics and how you can help a player. But I think the biggest thing is it’s such a body of work, an all-encompassing thing when you’re talking about evaluating these guys, so you don’t want to say, ‘Hey, he had a great throwing session that one day, that shoots him up your draft board.’ You take all of this into account,” Stefanski noted. And when you take a step back and look at the full picture—Milroe’s improvement, leadership, physical tools, and coachability—it’s clear the guy has NFL starter upside.

Jalen Milroe is not just that ‘speedy Bama QB’ anymore. He’s a confident, dual-threat who’s ready to learn and compete at the next level. Whether it’s the Raiders, Browns, or another team willing to take the long view, Milroe could be a sneaky steal come draft day.