NFL national scout shares advice for how teams should view Jalen Milroe

The idea that Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe could become a first-round pick during the 2025 NFL Draft would've been downright laughable back in January. However, some are now convinced the Pittsburgh Steelers could grab Milroe at overall selection No. 21. 

For a piece published on Wednesday, one unnamed NFL national scout offered some advice for teams thinking about taking a flier on Milroe later this month. 

"If you can sit him for multiple years and then tailor your offense around him, you could really have something," the scout said about Milroe while speaking with Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. "But you would have to be all-in on his dual-threat ability. Work ethic is not a concern with him."

The Steelers could be an ideal landing spot for such a young quarterback since it seems they will stick with head coach Mike Tomlin through at least 2026. While stories throughout the second week of April have linked Milroe with the Cleveland Browns and New York Giants, both of those clubs could have new coaching staffs and different front offices as soon as next winter. 

Fowler noted that scouts compare Milroe to current New York Jets starting quarterback Justin Fields. The Chicago Bears made Fields a first-round draft pick back in the spring of 2021 but then gave up on him after three seasons. More recently, Tomlin benched Fields in favor of a healthy Russell Wilson this past fall after the 26-year-old went 4-2 as a starter. 

"Both are big and fast quarterbacks who can create chunk yardage in space," Fowler said about Milroe and Fields. "As passers, they are quarterbacks with strong arms who can hurt defenses downfield but struggle with accuracy, touch and decision-making. They are good enough throwers to keep defenses honest but are not good enough to warrant a pass-heavy offense tailored around them."

The Giants (Wilson, Jameis Winston), Browns (Kenny Pickett) and Steelers (Mason Rudolph, probably Aaron Rodgers) are three teams that could draft Milroe but then sit him behind an established starter for the foreseeable future. In his mock draft updated on Tuesday, ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. predicted that the Giants would take Milroe with the 34th overall pick.