Jalen Milroe gaining steam as a potential early 2025 NFL Draft first round pick already

Despite the rough start to the 2023 football season, Alabama Football yet again managed to make the College Football Playoff, barely losing in overtime to the eventual national champion Michigan Wolverines. While that particular ending wasn't what Crimson Tide fans hoped for, it was still much better than many expected after Alabama lost to Texas at home and then nearly lost to South Florida the following week.

So, what changed? How did Alabama bounce back and almost win it all again? Two words: Jalen Milroe.

Jalen Milroe's Giant Leap Forward

Alabama's 2023 football season kicked off like many others. Jalen Milroe scored five total touchdowns through less than three quarters as the Crimson Tide cruised to a 56-7 victory over Middle Tennessee State. But then a week later Jalen Milroe's first season as a starter was seemingly derailed when critical interceptions and sacks of his cost Alabama their game against Texas. And even after he was given the reins back (after an abysmal showing by other QBs against South Florida), he struggled.

Through Milroe's first four starts last season he had fumbled the ball five times, thrown three interceptions, and had taken 15 sacks. And while the Crimson Tide had a 4-1 record at that point, many in national media had already written him and Alabama football completely off. But then something clearly clicked with Jalen Milroe and everything changed.

Over the next seven weeks Jalen Milroe went from taking a sack on over 34% of his pressures to less than 25%. And in that same span he threw 15 touchdowns to just three interceptions, adding over 250 rushing yards with eight touchdowns on the ground. Milroe was on fire. He tossed 18 "big time throws" according to Pro Football Focus, and improved across the board in just about every single meaningful rate stat imaginable.

While he did struggle at times through the air against both Georgia and Michigan, it was Milroe's dynamic style of play that won the day in the SEC Championship and just fell short in the Playoff. He certainly has some growing to do, but Milroe started to show absolutely special ability down the stretch last season.

Jalen Milroe First Round NFL Draft Hype

Milroe may have improved last season, but is it really enough to warrant all the first round hype he's getting this offseason?

Ryan McCrystal of Sharp Football Analysis certainly thinks so. He ranked Jalen Milroe as QB1 off the board in the 2025 NFL Draft ahead of quarterbacks like Texas' Quinn Ewers and Georgia's Carson Beck in his first round mock draft just this week.