Seahawks draft Alabama QB Jalen Milroe: How he fits, pick grade and scouting intel

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The Seattle Seahawks selected Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe with the No. 92 pick — which was acquired from the Las Vegas Raiders for Geno Smith — in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft. He was the fourth quarterback off the board behind Cam Ward (No. 1), Jaxson Dart (No. 25) and Tyler Shough (No. 40), and ahead of Shedeur Sanders.

Seattle’s Day 2 selection of Milroe, a two-year starter for the Crimson Tide, adds an interesting wrinkle ahead of training camp to a QB room that currently includes Sam Darnold, Drew Lock and Sam Howell.

An explosive 6-foot-2 playmaker with tantalizing, dual-threat potential, Milroe went 21-6 at Alabama after taking over for Bryce Young in 2023. Despite a down 9-4 campaign in 2024, Milroe, the recipient of the William V. Campbell Trophy (awarded to the college football player with the best combination of academics, leadership and on-field performance), solidified himself as an intriguing draft prospect and green room invitee with more impressive play.

Milroe turned in a career year with 2,844 passing yards, 726 rushing yards and 36 total touchdowns (16 passing and 20 rushing). The numbers eclipsed his electric first year as a starter, when he burst onto the scene as a redshirt sophomore with 2,834 passing yards, 531 rushing yards and 35 total TDs (12 rushing). The 2023 second-team All-SEC selection led the Tide (12-2) to a College Football Playoff semifinal berth, as well as a victory over Georgia in the SEC Championship, when he also earned MVP honors.

‘The Beast’ breakdown

Milroe ranked No. 73 in Dane Brugler’s top 300 big board. Here’s what Brugler had to say about him in his annual NFL Draft guide:

“A dangerous weapon on zone reads, options and powers, Milroe is an explosive athlete with the speed to rip off big gains at any moment (20 percent of his 2024 carries resulted in gains of 10 yards or more). As a passer, the ball shoots out of his hand to drive the ball to every level, but he throws with too much heat and needs to develop his changeup. His disjointed mechanics disrupt the rhythm in his drops, which leads to inconsistent accuracy, anticipation and processing.

“Overall, Milroe is unpolished as a passer, both physically and mentally, but he is a dynamic athlete with a unique blend of speed, arm strength and intelligence, making him an intriguing developmental option for a patient coaching staff. His upside is tough to measure, but it is higher considering he has the tools to switch positions if his time at quarterback doesn’t pan out.”

MILROE TIGHTROPES DOWN THE SIDELINE 🔥@AlabamaFTBL x 📺 ABC pic.twitter.com/zaaVVOIFYr

— Southeastern Conference (@SEC) September 29, 2024

Nick Baumgardner grades the pick

Arguably the biggest wild card in the draft, Milroe had some first-round buzz at points throughout this offseason despite not being ready to take over the keys to a franchise quite yet. Milroe might need two years before he’s ready to start, but his speed, burst and rush ability in the open field could be something Seattle uses in its offense immediately next season. From a military family, Milroe’s football character has also been highly praised by those around him. A developmental pick, to be sure, but an interesting one for a team with some time to spend on one. Grade: B

Jake Ciely’s fantasy analysis

There is a supremely high ceiling with Milroe. We’re talking about Jayden Daniels rushing upside, maybe even Lamar Jackson, so 1,000 rushing yards is in play, but I think the touchdown potential is a bit higher than Jackson, hence the Daniels inclusion. Obviously, there is major risk too, as Milroe needs to develop as a passer. This is a good spot, as he won’t be forced to start and has weapons if/when he does. Let’s not dismiss the possibility that Sam Darnold looks like late-2024 Darnold more than his breakout self for much of the year. If Milroe is even a league-average passer, he will put up top-10 fantasy numbers thanks to his rushing upside, and his ceiling is top five. Nevertheless, we might never see it happen. That’s the rub.

How he fits

Milroe has some room to grow as a passer, which is notable given the style of offense Seattle plans to run under Klint Kubiak. That said, Milroe is one of the few prospects with a truly elite trait in this draft: his rushing ability. He has a rare combination of speed and power for a player at his position. And he’s got a very strong arm, which shows up on his throws down the field. There’s a path to Milroe succeeding in a play-action heavy offense that emphasizes his ability to move and throw deep, but it might take some time before that translates into starter-level quarterback play. — Michael-Shawn Dugar

Depth-chart impact

Seattle now has five quarterbacks: Darnold, Lock, Howell, Jaren Hall and Milroe. GM John Schneider has said the team is open to trading Howell, which might happen by the end of the weekend at this rate. Darnold just signed a three-year contract, and Lock is on a two-year deal. They’re both under the age of 30 and have multiple years of starting experience, so it’s unclear when Milroe would get a chance to enter a season as QB1 with everyone healthy. But using a third-round pick on Milroe indicates he’ll get a chance to compete right away, just as Russell Wilson did in 2012. — Dugar

They also could have picked …

There were several players Seattle could have selected if the goal was to acquire a quarterback. Shedeur Sanders, Will Howard, Quinn Ewers, Kyle McCord and Dillon Gabriel (drafted 94th by the Browns) were all on the board. Milroe’s physical profile might suggest he has the highest ceiling out of the remaining quarterbacks, but Sanders, Howard and McCord are arguably better throwers. However, Milroe’s character might have been a major part of the evaluation. He’s a military kid and a two-time team captain who reportedly blew teams away in his interviews. That matters when drafting a player at a position that requires leadership. — Dugar

Fast evaluation

Schneider might run into a conundrum he has spoken about in recent years. Milroe needs live reps to improve his game. At the moment, he’s behind three veteran quarterbacks on the depth chart (he should be above Hall). A Howell trade would elevate Milroe to only QB3, a spot that doesn’t get many reps. Schneider has used this lack-of-reps issue to explain acquiring quarterbacks with experience instead of looking to the draft. So, what will it take for Milroe to see the field in a capacity that allows for a legitimate evaluation? That’s one of many questions to consider with this pick. — Dugar

(Photo: Matt Pendleton / Imagn Images)

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