Life can throw you some serious curveballs, but for Jalen Milroe, it feels like everything hit at once. Bama’s former quarterback is walking around with the high of a killer 4.37 Pro Day run on one side and the heavy sadness of losing a family member on the other. Even with that speed, scouts have him way down at 83rd, nowhere near a first-round pick. But those are just numbers; they don’t even touch the deep grief he’s carrying after losing someone incredibly close. We all know Milroe’s tight-knit family means the world to him, so this loss, right when his NFL dreams are on the line, couldn’t have come at a worse time.

Growing up in a military family—his dad, Quentin served in the Marine Corps in Iraq, and his mom, Lola worked in the Navy’s medical field— discipline and toughness were always part of Jalen Milroe’s life. But he’s also deeply connected to his faith. He even got baptized back in 2022, leaning on his belief in God for strength and guidance.

This isn’t the first big loss for Jalen Milroe. He already went through the pain of losing his grandmother, who was like a rock of faith for him, leading Bible studies and shaping his values. Family, faith, football—his IG bio says it all. He’s kept her memory alive by staying involved in Alabama’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Now, Milroe is facing another huge sorrow—the loss of his other grandmother, the proud voice you heard at his graduation, the woman who always pushed him to be great.

Right after this tough loss, Jalen Milroe didn’t just disappear into his sadness. Instead, he made sure to show the world how much his grandmother meant to him. He posted a graduation photo on his Instagram story, with the simple caption: “Rest easy, Suga. Your love, strength, and sweet spirit will always stay with me. I love you.” That says everything. Even with a broken heart, Milroe honored the woman who helped make him who he is.

Milroe has stood tall, giving his grandmother the goodbye she deserved. Their bond was deep, and he’s carrying forward every lesson and every bit of love she gave him. That’s more than just family; it’s his foundation.

But now, that NFL draft invitation throws a whole new level of pressure into the mix. Walking out of that green room without a first-round pick wouldn’t just sting; it would feel like a punch to the gut after everything he’s been through. Slipping to Day 2 just doesn’t fit the story of what he’s overcome.

More pressure piles onto Jalen Milroe

The 2025 NFL Draft is full of surprises, and Jalen Milroe is definitely one of the biggest question marks. While most analysts don’t see him as a first-rounder, that invite to Green Bay hints that his draft stock is all over the place. After barely seeing the field in his first two years, Milroe exploded in 2023, throwing for 2,834 yards, 23 touchdowns, and only six interceptions as Alabama’s starter. That breakout year set the expectations high, and even though his 2024 stats weren’t quite as flashy, he still had a solid season, completing 64.3% of his passes for 2,844 yards, 16 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions.

While Milroe’s passing game wasn’t always spectacular, his running was a real weapon. He racked up 726 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns, a performance that’s got NFL scouts seriously divided. Some see a potential star, while others think he’s a project that needs a lot of work. His draft position is anyone’s guess right now.

Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio looked into why Milroe got a green room invite even though he’s likely a second-round pick or later. “Per a source with knowledge of the situation,” Mike Florio revealed, “there’s a current appetite to expand the pool of invitations to players who aren’t expected to be picked until the third day, when rounds four through seven play out. …There’s always a chance that (like Will Levis two years ago) the league will invite a player whose wait will extend to the second day. That’s one of the risks the league took when making Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe one of the 17 players who’ll be at Lambeau Field. There’s a chance Milroe will be back on Friday.”

But even with all the doubts hanging over Jalen Milroe’s draft prospects, former New York Giants star Chris Canty thinks Pittsburgh would be the perfect fit for him, even saying he could go as late as the 68th pick. “Boy, Jalen Milroe at 68 to the Steelers feels like a Mike Tomlin pick, doesn’t it,” Canty said. “Doesn’t that fit Mike Tomlin’s style of play? We’re gonna run the football. We’re gonna lean on this big, physical offensive line. They’ve invested a lot of draft capital in the last two years on that group… It feels like the Steelers’ brand of football, by rolling with a quarterback like Jalen Milroe, not just how Milroe plays but in terms of what they want their overall identity to be.”

The 2025 NFL Draft kicks off on April 24th, so we’ll soon find out where Milroe ends up. His unique mix of size, speed, and toughness makes him a fascinating prospect, no matter which team calls his name.