If there’s one player in the 2025 NFL Draft with the most intriguing potential, it’s Jalen Milroe. He was Nick Saban‘s final QB1 and Kalen DeBoer’s first SEC QB. And what did we learn from his two years in Alabama? He isn’t your typical quarterback who thrives with his arms alone. The kid delivered, perhaps more with his legs than his arms.This past season, he put up 20 rushing scores, led the Tide in ground yards (726), and became Bama’s most dangerous dual-threat QB. But still, most mock drafts have him going Day 2. 

But here’s the deal. Jalen Milroe could actually sneak into the first round of the draft. And no, this isn’t just some SEC fan prediction. On April 23, NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero dropped the bomb on The Rich Eisen Show. His response to Rich Eisen’s question on which QB is most likely to be traded back into R1 is instantaneous. “This is going to be one of the most interesting things. I will say Jalen Milroe,” he said. “Jalen Milroe has one of the rarest skill sets that you’re going to find.” According to him, “several NFL coaches and executives say that’s the best running [quarterback] we’ve ever evaluated at the college level.” And that talk comes from inside draft rooms. 

So don’t roll your eyes just yet. Jalen Milroe’s college production over two years in Tuscaloosa backs why he could thrive even as a running back in the NFL. 5,678 passing yards and 39 TDs and 1,257 yards and 32 scores on the ground! No wonder an NFC scout told Pelissero, “Milroe is a much better runner (than Jalen Hurts). If he were a running back, he’d be a top-of-the-second-round running back.”

ESPN NFL Draft analyst Jordan Reid didn’t cover his admiration for the QB’s “eye-popping athleticism.” “He’s gonna enter a very distinct group his very first year in the NFL. Those are names that include Jayden Daniels, Lamar Jackson, and also Justin Fields. You go back to that LSU game, he was absolutely terrific in that one.” 185 rushing yards and four scores by a QB is no joke, as we saw in Alabama thrash LSU 42-13 in Death Valley in November ’24.

“Jalen Milroe has a rare physical skill set,” Pelissero added. “Do you have the guts to come up and just go what we can make this work? We’re going to build this guy. We trust our coaches to get the most out of him. I think Milroe is one of the most fascinating players in this draft.” And it’s his NFL decision that held the Bama locker room together just as he did last year when he acted as a glue with Nick Saban’s departure. 

Jalen Milroe prevents a mass exodus with his NFL decision 

This won’t be a repeat of last season if Jalen Milroe stays back for another year under Kalen DeBoer. Had he come back for the 2025 season, there would’ve been a mass exodus in Tuscaloosa. Severe key players would have entered the portal per an AFC coordinator’s statement to Pelissero. “He’s a 22 mph-on-the-ground guy,” the coordinator said. “He’s got a fastball that’s not very accurate. He doesn’t know when to take it off the ball. We heard out of Alabama all the skill [players] would’ve transferred if he came back. He wasn’t to be known as a pocket quarterback and your best skill is you’re frickin’ fast.”

The concerns are real. Last season, Jalen Milroe threw 11 picks and completed just over 64% of his passes. Accuracy issues maybe, but he’s a freak. An AFC coordinator banked on his upside saying, “He’s the best running quarterback I’ve ever evaluated. He’s like Cam Newton’s power with Lamar’s speed. He can throw the ball down the field — his numbers over 20 yards are good. And he’s a true developmental-type player. He’s electric.”

So here’s the million-dollar question. Who’s got the guts to take that shot in R1? Because if we’re betting on upside, Jalen Milroe could be the biggest boom or bust swing in the draft.