NFL insiders address surprising Jalen Milroe NFL Draft development

Some football fans were surprised to learn over the weekend that Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe had accepted an invitation to attend the 2025 NFL Draft, largely because multiple analysts previously predicted Milroe wouldn't be a first-round pick.

On Monday, NFL insiders Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (h/t Sports Illustrated) and Armando Salguero of OutKick mentioned that it appears Milroe now is at least "in contention to be the third quarterback" drafted on April 24 after Miami's Cam Ward and Colorado's Shedeur Sanders. Salguero noted that "the league lately tries not to invite players it doesn't think are first-round picks" and "tries to avoid the optics of having a prospect sit in the green room for hours on the Thursday of the first round only to miss out on being picked." 

Salguero also suggested people within the NFL may be nervous that this year's player-selection process held in Green Bay could lack star power. 

"Another reason Milroe may have gotten an invitation is because the NFL wants a fair number of big-name players to attend the draft so it can have the TV moment of the draftee walking across the stage and hugging commissioner Roger Goodell," Salguero wrote. "...The NFL may see the need to go deeper into its prospects depth chart this year because Miami quarterback Cam Ward and Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders are leaning toward spending the first round with their families rather than accepting invitations to the draft."

While the Tennessee Titans are widely expected to make Ward the draft's first pick, predictions shared as recently as Monday had Sanders going off the board somewhere between the New York Giants at choice No. 3 and the Pittsburgh Steelers at pick No. 21. Some linked the Steelers with Milroe when it seemed likely Sanders would be a top-three pick, but Pittsburgh may target Ole Miss' Jaxson Dart if a Sanders slide causes Dart to be on the board into the 20s. 

The New York Jets (pick No. 7) reportedly left the NFL Scouting Combine "enamored with" Dart. On April 4, NFL Media's Chad Reuter predicted that the Jets will spend the seventh selection on Dart after Ward goes to the Titans and Sanders ends up with the Giants. 

That said, The Athletic's Nick Baumgardner forecasted in his mock draft published on Monday that only Ward (No. 1) and Sanders (No. 21) will be first-round picks. Baumgardner had the Cleveland Browns taking Louisville's Tyler Shough at overall choice No. 33, the Giants selecting Dart with the 34th pick and the Jets grabbing Milroe via selection No. 42. It's unclear if Milroe would attend the draft's second night to have his on-stage moment with Goodell.

Salguero pointed out that the Los Angeles Rams could take Milroe if the signal-caller is available at overall pick No. 26. Los Angeles theoretically could be ready to move on from current starter Matthew Stafford as soon as next offseason after he turns 38 years old in February 2026.

It's also possible a quarterback-needy team could trade back into the first round as late as pick No. 32 for Milroe if Ward, Sanders and Dart become the first three quarterbacks drafted.