Considering his performance in the last season, Jalen Milroe was more of a liability than an asset for the Crimson Tide in his last CFB season. The biggest issue with Milore is his inconsistent performances. One day he will play as the best QB in the entire CFB but the other day he will be the reason for his team’s loss. Yet, despite the ups and downs, his potential remains undeniable as NFL decision-makers will be more than intrigued about placing him in their offense and building around his skillset. But just as Milroe declared for the NFL Draft, a major setback has hit—one that could affect his NFL future with just 10 weeks left before the big day.

The Senior Bowl serves as a line in the sand that signals the commencing of NFL Draft season. Departing Crimson Tide QB Jalen Milroe, owing to his inexperience and liquid NFL grade, was one of the biggest stories at the down in Mobile, Alabama. How’d he take this opportunity to make in-roads with scouts and the front-office brass? Well, let’s just say he didn’t quite “let the naysayers know.” Ironically, he was close to Tuscaloosa but still far from a linear route into the NFL.

With merely 2 years atop the depth chart and 27 total college starts, Milroe was being weighed up by franchises with extra scrutiny. He’s a bit of an unknown quantity by all accords. His best attribute is his rushing and scrambling prowess. The guy can leg it for a first down on a whim. That’s irrefutable. His arm is still a work in progress, though, to put it lightly. The ceiling remains high if he’s developed properly. Michael Vick, Cam Newton, and Lamar Jackson. We’ve seen this archetype of QB thrive in the pros. However, Senior Bowl week reportedly transpired less than ideal for Jalen Milroe. The issues around his passing proficiency left a particularly bad impression on one insider. Who’s now repulsive to the idea that their favorite franchise drafts him?

Over “The Dawgs” podcast, Barry Shuck leveraged his assessment of what he saw from Milroe down in Mobile. He didn’t mince his words whatsoever. “Milroe struggled. He struggled mightily,” remarked Shuck. “The problem that [Jalen Milroe] had is with his accuracy. He would short-arm a lot of passes. He would overthrow a lot of passes. Throwing it deep? You forget it. It’s just not going to be completed. He just doesn’t have any accuracy at all. Most of the time, the ball just drifts out of bounds and is uncatchable.”

Shuck pointed to the fact that all the offensive play calls were with Milroe under center. Rather than in the shotgun, which he’s more comfortable with. It was implied that this was a test of Milroe’s adaptability and versatility. Unfortunately, he failed. Barry Shuck’s indictment didn’t end there.

“[Milroe] just had lots of problems. He had lots of fumbles. He had lots of interceptions,” he proceeded. Shuck acknowledged that Milroe looked good in the 1v1 drills. However, Shuck also stated that he looked “lost” in the 7v7 and 11v11s. A poor showing right alongside his contemporaries naturally didn’t help Jalen Milroe’s stock. He’s a player with limited film compared to someone like Jaxson Dart and Quinn Ewers, who are vying for a similar draft placement. Ewers missed the Senior Bowl as he rehabilitated from injury. Although it may actually be working favorably, given his adversary didn’t capitalize on the chance. 

Coming into Mobile, Milroe was projected to be a second-round pick. He still is across many draftnik’s boards, but it’s not the consensus anymore. Shuck also had him penciled in for round 2 prior. But now he went as far as saying it’ll “surprise” him if Milroe even goes in round 3! Not only did he slide picks, but he also slid entire rounds. Barry Shuck, who has a rooting interest in the Cleveland Browns, spoke about his team drafting Milroe. A team that was eyeing him up if they forgo picking a QB with the 2nd overall pick. Shuck leveraged intel from an interview he had with Jalen Milroe about a fortnight ago. 

Jalen Milroe’s strong connection to the Cleveland Browns’ OC is baked into the equation

The links between the Browns and Milroe aren’t media-manufactured sensationalism. Milroe’s previous offensive coordinator at Alabama, Tommy Rees, is now the OC for the Browns. Rees’ time in Tuscaloosa coincided with the signal caller’s best season. Jalen Milroe was asked, “Would that [connection] be an advantage for you, with the familiarity?” To this, he replied, “I have so much respect for Coach Rees. As a person and a coach. I learned so much from him, and he trusted me to have the ball in my hands. He is a coach who will put me in the grind. We both worked together well and achieved a lot…I would look forward for us to work together again.” Whether it’s reciprocal is one thing, but Milroe is clearly open to this relationship.

The Cleveland Browns are in proverbial hell due to their cap situation. QB1 Deshaun Watson has far from reciprocated the value of his contract. It’s difficult to move off him. If the Browns do draft Jalen Milroe, then it’s safe to assume they’ll have him as a backup initially. Whether that’s to Watson or a different veteran signed in free agency. Apart from WR Jerry Jeudy, the Browns have a somewhat lackluster supporting cast on offense currently. Not to mention, the NFC North already has two of the best QBs in the sport, offering direct competition. These factors, alongside the fact the Cleveland Browns have historically been underachievers, don’t make them the ideal landing spot if you’re Milroe. But he doesn’t have too much leverage at this juncture.

Whatever the case, Jalen Milroe is now staring at the Combine as his next shot at winning franchises over. He’ll have to make amends, or else he could slide down the QB hierarchy very quickly. The tangibles and athleticism are there to mold a potential franchise quarterback. But a lot has to come together seamlessly for that to happen. You’d expect Milroe to test off the charts at the Combine.