Imagine it’s the final inning of a nail-biting MLB playoff game, bases loaded, and the rookie slugger steps up to the plate. The crowd holds its breath. That’s the energy swirling around Jalen Milroe as the NFL Draft looms. Analysts are tossing hot takes like Hail Marys, and one comparison has lit the fuse—Lamar Jackson. But hold your horses.

This isn’t just about speed or arm strength. It’s about whether Milroe’s college highlight reel can translate to Sunday glory—or if the Lamar parallels are as shaky as a rookie’s first snap under center. And here comes Mina Kimes, ESPN’s sharp-tongued analyst, who dropped a grenade in the draft chatter.

“To me, Jalen Milroe is a lottery ticket,” she declared, likening his agility to Jackson’s.  Cue the collective gasp from armchair GMs nursing their IPAs. Comparisons to a two-time MVP? Bold. But in a league where every scrambler gets slapped with ‘the next Lamar’ tag, is this praise—or a setup for failure? Kimes didn’t mince words.

“He’s got the strongest arm of any quarterback in the draft… He has the agility and vision as a runner that I would put up there with the Lamar Jackson’s of the world,” she added on April 18. Cleveland’s GM Andrew Berry doubled down, joking that Milroe might outrun Jackson himself. “Don’t tell Lamar I said that, please,” he quipped. But let’s break it down. Milroe’s 4.40-second 40-yard dash and 20 rushing touchdowns in 2024 scream dual-threat upside. However, his 16 passing TDs and uneven accuracy?

That’s where skeptics pounce. And the stats paint a clear picture. Milroe’s 71 total touchdowns over two SEC seasons—32 on the ground—put him in rare air with Tim Tebow and Cam Newton. But draft boards remain split. Bleacher Report ranks him No. 77 overall. The Giants at No. 34? The Steelers in Round 1? It’s a coin flip. It seems as if his floor is a gadget player; his ceiling is a franchise changer.

Milroe’s draft night: boom or bust?

Milroe’s invitation to Green Bay hints at first-round buzz. Teams like the Giants, Browns, and Seahawks have circled him in Top 30 visits. Tommy Rees, Cleveland’s new OC, coached Milroe at Alabama—a reunion could unlock his raw tools. “Any system that you build around him you want to take advantage of the fact that he has things that no other players at the position have,” Berry stressed. So, draft him, then tailor the playbook like a Savile Row suit. But history’s littered with “lottery tickets” that didn’t cash out.

Remember Johnny Manziel? However, for every cautionary tale, there’s a Patrick Mahomes. As they say, “Speed never lies.” Milroe’s got that in spades. Whether he’s the next Lamar or just a fast man with a clipboard? That’s the $64,000 question. Hence, cue the Instagram tornado.

Fan frenzy: love it or leave it

“Same people that compared Anthony Richardson And we seen how that’s been so far,” scoffed a fan. Others weren’t having it. “STOP COMPARING THESE NEW RUNNING QB’s TO LAMAR JACKSON,” fired back another. Even Alabama loyalists mixed praise with caution. “Milroe isn’t good, he got cooked by Michigan in the Reliquest bowl,” argued a fan. But for every detractor, there’s a believer.

“Runs with way more power than Lamar. He’s built like two oak trees. Definitely want him on the giants if he’s open to special packages to get him the ball in the first couple years while developing his accuracy and awareness,” mused a Milroe fan. While others continued to criticize Kimes. One of them wrote, “Why we let people who never played these types of sport commentate on it?” The divide is clear.

Some see Milroe’s 2023 LSU game—185 rushing yards, 4 TDs—as proof of superstar DNA. Others point to his 64.% completion rate in 2024. “Comparing skill sets is different from the comparison of the 2 players 🙄,” noted a fan. Now, as the draft clock ticks, Jalen Milroe sits at the eye of a storm. Analyst hyperbole, fan fury, and GM gambles swirl around him. The Lamar Jackson comparisons?

They’re a double-edged sword—elevating his profile but inviting brutal scrutiny. However, in a league obsessed with upside, Milroe’s blend of power and speed is catnip for risk-tolerant teams. So, is he the next electric dual-threat? Or a cautionary “what if?” Time will tell. But as the great baseball philosopher Yogi Berra once said, “It’s tough to make predictions, especially about the future.” On April 24, we’ll find out if Milroe’s future starts with a boom… or a draft-day slide.