NFL scouts and coaches are evaluating Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe as potentially the most dynamic running quarterback prospect they\'ve ever assessed, surpassing even two-time MVP Lamar Jackson, according to NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero.
\"Several -- not one -- several coaches and scouts told me as I was making calls about all these quarterbacks is Jalen Milroe is the greatest runner of the football they\'ve ever evaluated at the quarterback position,\" Pelissero reported Monday on \"Good Morning Football.\" \"Not Lamar Jackson -- Jalen Milroe is the best runner that they\'ve ever seen.\"
Milroe reinforced this evaluation at Alabama\'s pro day last month by clocking an aggregated 4.40-second 40-yard dash, one of the fastest times ever recorded by a quarterback prospect.
The 6-foot-2, 217-pound junior led the Crimson Tide in rushing with 726 yards while setting a school record with 20 rushing touchdowns in 2024, ranking second nationally in rushing TDs among all players.
Despite his ground game prowess, Milroe\'s passing statistics raise questions about his first-round prospects. He compiled 2,844 passing yards with a 64.3 completion percentage but finished with a concerning 16:11 touchdown-to-interception ratio.
NFL Draft analyst Chad Reuter currently projects Milroe as the first selection of the second round (33rd overall) to the Cleveland Browns, though comparisons to Jackson could boost his stock. Jackson was similarly selected at the end of the first round (32nd) by Baltimore in 2018 before developing into a record-setting quarterback who recently became the first player in NFL history with 4,000+ passing yards and 800+ rushing yards in a single season.
Like Jackson before him, Milroe\'s professional ceiling will ultimately be determined by his development as a passer, but his exceptional running ability could make him one of the prospects in this draft with the highest ceiling.