The NFL Draft is almost here, and we at RBR have you covered as Alabama looks to put a few new players into the pros. With that, Jalen Milroe is one of the most volatile prospects in the national conscience the last few weeks. After being mostly viewed as a Day 2 prospect since the end of the season, he’s been climbing up higher in quite a few mocks the last few weeks.
ESPN– No. 68 overall, Pittsburgh Steelers (via trade with Los Angeles Rams)
Mel Kiper Jr. noted that the Steelers are likely to sign Aaron Rodgers as a free agent. However, given his age, Rodgers isn’t a long-term solution for any team, so he projected the Steelers will grab Milroe early in the third round.
ESPN– No. 33 overall, Cleveland Browns
Jordan Reid predicted a far higher draft selection than his ESPN colleague, placing him as the first pick of the second round. Reid’s projection would see Milroe reunited with former Alabama offensive coordinator Tommy Rees, who now holds the same job for the Browns.
CBS– No. 18 overall, Los Angeles Rams
Chris Trapasso offered up on the best draft spots for Milroe, sending him into the first round. The Rams are in need of their quarterback of the future, given Matthew Stafford’s advancing ago.
Pro Football Focus– No. 34 overall, New York Giants
Another early second round projection for Milroe. The Giants were a popular landing spot for the Crimson Tide quarterback among mock drafts.
NFL.com– No. 24 overall, New York Giants
Eric Edholm also had Milroe heading to East Rutherford to play for the Giants. However, his prediction moved the Alabama product into the first round of of the draft
NFL.com– No. 33 overall, Cleveland Browns
Chad Reuter was less high on Milroe than his NFL.com coworker. He also placed Milroe back in the care of Rees, in Cleveland, which needs a quarterback, with Joe Flacco currently penciled in as the starter for the 2024 season, and Deshaun Watson’s long-term future in doubt.
He seems to be getting tied to the New York Giants more and more lately, and I recently spoke with Ed Valentine of Big Blue View to talk about Milroe.
Ultimately, Milroe is a player who can be an amazing QB. Not just his running, but his ability to work pockets and make big-time throws are better than most…. The problem is that he doesn’t always do what he’s shown he can do, and we get games like the Tennessee, Oklahoma, and Michigan games.
Jalen Milroe was not originally projected to be a first-round pick in this year’s NFL Draft, but he is one of the 17 prospects invited to the draft in Green Bay on Thursday night. In an interview with DJ Siddiqi of Card Player, Milroe was asked if a team is potentially targeting him in the first round of the draft.
“It isn’t for all of you to know,” Milroe said. “It’s definitely a dream of mine to attend the draft. I’m so excited to seize the opportunity. I’ll be able to tell my family of my own one day that I attended the draft and I’m able to seize every opportunity of it. I’m fulfilling my dream, and I’m going to enjoy every bit of it.”
The Giants, L.A. Rams, and Seattle Seahawks are all teams that Milroe has met with in recent weeks. The Rams and Seahawks are both teams with solid core rosters and either an old QB or a bridge QB that would allow Milroe to not be pressed into immediate starting action. Seriously, imagine him getting to learn from Matt Stafford for a year or two on how to really harness a huge arm.
Moving back to college ball, we have yet another example of a serial transferer:
Offensive lineman TJ Ferguson, who went by Terrence Ferguson II with the Crimson Tide, put his name in the transfer portal this spring, according to CBS Sports/247Sports.
Ferguson spent the 2024 season playing for Florida State. He started seven games and played in 11. He transferred to join the Seminoles after three seasons with the Crimson Tide.
It’s almost seeming like a guarantee at this point. If someone transfers from Alabama for a lack of playing time early in their career, they wind up transferring again the very next year.
Speaking of, the second transfer portal window has been very quiet for the the Tide so far:
The Alabama football spring football season is complete. And movement can, once again, begin.
The 10-day NCAA spring transfer portal window will open Wednesday, April 16 and run until Friday, April 25.
It’s a window of unknowns for Kalen DeBoer and his coaching staff, a time of year that proves to be unpredictable.
“You never know this time of year,” DeBoer said. “We felt last year we didn’t really lose anyone at this time that we felt we were going to have going into the fall. Definitely don’t want to say keeping our fingers crossed, but that’s the case here with the portal.”
Follow along here as the Crimson Tide navigates the 10-day transfer portal window.
So far, four of Alabama’s walk-on players have entered the portal, but no scholarship players. Alabama also hasn’t taken any commitments, and the only real interest that’s been reported has been around Troy tight end Brody Dalton. It’s unclear if they are looking at Dalton to be a scholarship player or a preferred walk-on.
