Jalen Milroe: Clark Kent or Superman?

At times, Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe can look like Superman ⎯eluding tacklers and dropping gorgeous deep passes right in the breadbasket.

Other times, it’s like the turf is made of kryptonite.

Throughout a tumultuous junior campaign, he battled backups and SEC champions alike en route to a College Football Playoff berth in his first year as a starter.

Has he cemented himself as a first-round prospect, though?

It’s a bird!

A well-protected quarterback in the pocket typically throws with unrivaled confidence, and Milroe was one of the nation’s best when protected. However, under pressure, things seemed to break down.

A regular impediment to any potential leap from Milroe as a passer is Alabama’s porous pass protection. Milroe was hung out to dry by an offensive line that allowed 49 sacks in 2023. On an individual level, however, he must improve his inaccuracy under pressure.

Given his traits, these issues don’t seem as detrimental as they would in other prospects. He stands tall in the pocket, steps up to throw, and has genuinely wowed me with some of the discipline he displays keeping his eyes downfield without sacrificing any power on his throws.

While Milroe’s eyes may be in the right spot, the only explanation for some of the reads he makes is that his x-ray vision has finally started to manifest itself.

There is one issue with his eyes, however.

Milroe stares down his receivers and seems gun-shy when a strong throw is needed. His eyes give away his intentions every time. This was especially evident in the Tide’s Sept. 9 loss to the No. 11 Texas Longhorns (34-24). Milroe’s slow reads and situational tunnel vision ultimately doomed Alabama and led to his benching the following week.

These problems reared their ugly heads in multiple make-or-break situations following his reinstatement as the team’s starter. Milroe overcame these mistakes against Auburn, Texas A&M, and Georgia. However, the No. 1 Michigan Wolverines frustrated the quarterback from start to finish in that 27-20 overtime loss in the Rose Bowl.

It’s a plane! Train!

Milroe’s most reliable weapon is his mobility, without question. His hip fluidity is impressive and he has a short-range quickness that helps him traverse degrading or collapsed pockets for demoralizing gains on obvious passing downs. He is at his best when he plays with his instincts. His production on the ground proves exactly that. In 2023, Milroe had a whooping 161 carries and a long of 53 yards.

Milroe’s creativity shines the closer he gets to the sideline, and his ability to read and react is strongest when escaping up and out the middle of the pocket. Rarely, will you see him brought down by a shoestring tackle or him running himself into sacks.

He won’t produce the kind of sizzle-reel runs NFL quarterbacks Lamar Jackson or Michael Vick have made look so simple, and he likely won’t be utilized as a primary rusher at the next level. However, he is more than capable of scaring some apprehension into a defense with his legs.

Think Bills’ quarterback Josh Allen, but without the imposing frame that has allowed him to play with the level of reckless abandon we’ve come to know him for. Milroe must be smarter than that should he hope to emulate Allen’s rushing totals.

It’s a…

A prospect with some of the highest upside in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Milroe is an excellent athlete and rhythm thrower who put moments of brilliance on film against NFL-caliber competition in 2023. He will return to lead an improved Alabama offense where he’s fought for his job and reestablished himself as the starter. He’s seen adversity and has handled it.

On the field, however, he has to throw with more confidence and avoid the moments of tunnel vision that produced some of his most detrimental mistakes.

2025 NFL Draft Profile

#4 Jalen Milroe 6-foot-2, 220 pounds

Jackson’s 2025 NFL Draft Grade: Second-Round

Projected by 36.4% of the NFL Draft Community to be a first-round pick as of June 14, 2024

Game Film Reviewed (2024): Texas, Ole Miss, Arkansas, Tennessee, LSU, Auburn, Georgia, and Michigan

Jackson DiLullo is a sports writer and statistician with goals of turning his passion for football into a way of life. He is a New Jersey native and Rutgers University graduate with a degree in journalism and Media Studies, who has professional experience with both Sports Illustrated and NBC Sports. He currently works alongside a talented team of writers on FirstRoundMock.com.