Heading into this College Football season, all of the QB hype centered generally on three names: Shedeur Sanders (Colorado), Carson Beck (Georgia), and Quinn Ewers (Texas).
Well, one other name should be firmly in the mix as a potential top NFL draft pick: Alabama QB Jalen Milroe.
Milroe is currently basking in the glow of taking down rival Georgia this past weekend. He was spectacular — going 27-of-33 for 374 yards and 2 TDs. Under Nick Saban, Milroe had the reputation as a talented albeit inconsistent quarterback. Thus far under the tutelage of Kalen DeBoer — a noted QB whisperer — things couldn’t be progressing much better.
Milroe’s set of physical tools has never been questioned. He’s an elite athlete pertaining to his mobility. You can change the launch point with him, where he can throw in the pocket and also on the run when rolling out to either side. His deep ball is among the better ones in the sport largely based on touch and arm strength.
Under DeBoer, we’ve seen a more refined quarterback. It’s not too dissimilar to the rise Michael Penix Jr. had under DeBoer at Washington. Like Milroe, Penix Jr. had a rocket of an arm with decent athleticism. DeBoer’s quarterback-friendly scheme not only accentuates the strengths of his players, but it also helps to prepare these guys for the NFL.
Through four games this year, Milroe has thrown 10 TDs to only 1 INT. He’s currently completing passes at a 72.9 percent clip. Last year, he completed passes at 65.8 percent. There’s a noticeable difference in terms of comfortability in the pocket. Milroe’s feel for when to take off and run versus unloading the ball has been excellent. With the tick-up in accuracy comes more in the way of efficiency. Many want to compare Milroe from an NFL standpoint to Jalen Hurts. While Hurts is an excellent player in his own right, you can make the case that Milroe is more akin to Jayden Daniels rather than Hurts.
Comparatively speaking, Milroe is quicker and faster than Hurts. He’s also a more natural thrower of the football — both downfield and of the intermediate variety.
It’s still a bit perplexing that Milroe isn’t getting more buzz as a possible No. 1 Overall pick. With the way the NFL has been transitioning, Milroe’s dual-threat capabilities appear to be a perfect fit for the modern-day game.
