Senior Bowl takeaways: 5 interesting notes about Alabama's Jalen Milroe

Jalen Milroe isn't quite cut from the same cloth as his Alabama quarterbacking predecessors. More mobile than Tua Tagovailoa, Mac Jones and Bryce Young, he has an angle to his game they didn't. Milroe's passing isn't up to par with theirs though, and his draft stock reflects that.

Milroe took to Mobile, Ala., for the Senior Bowl this past week, aiming to show scouts and brass that he deserves to be in the conversation as the best signal-callers in the 2025 NFL Draft. His game performance, though, wasn't what he'd have hoped for.

What's there to take away from Milroe's audition? Here are a few notes:

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Five interesting notes about Alabama's Jalen Milroe's

#1 Must get better through the air

Milroe went 3-for-5 for 18 yards during his Senior Bowl showing, getting sacked multiple times.

Brian Nemhauser, who hasa covered the Seattle Seahawks for nearly two decades, believes that Milroe will have to improve and — while he does — play within an offense that caters to his strengths.

"If you're betting on Jalen Milroe as an NFL starter, you need a one-read system with a heavy emphasis on QB run," Nemhauser tweeted.

"He will get sacked 60+ times and struggle to complete 60%+ of his passes in any other approach. The legs are 1st round. The passing is 6th/7th."

#2 How will teams view Jalen Milroe?

How the NFL looks at Milroe will depend on how they plan to try to use him. Todd McShay feels he has a good skill set to start out.

"He's got a lot of tools to work with," McShay said on his Ringer podcast on Wednesday. "He's got a big arm. He's got (a) unique blend of speed and power as a runner."

#3 Who does Jalen Milroe compare to?

CBS Sports' Emory Hunt has an interesting professional juxtaposition for Milroe.

"Better comp for Jalen Milroe is Malik Wills," Hunt said Saturday on X/Twitter. "Will be interesting to see if he can make a similar progression that Willis has made in the pros."

Willis was drafted in the third round in 2022 but only made three starts with the team that took him, the Tennessee Titans. He has landed in Green Bay as Jordan Love's backup.

#4 Jalen Milroe took lessons from the Senior Bowl

Despite a lackluster line, Milroe accomplished what he set out to do during his stay in Mobile.

"I was able to learn, I was able to grow," Milroe said after. "That was my mission going into this week, was to learn and grow, and I was able to do that."

Part of picking up on what's required at the next level is showing an ability to be coachable. Milroe seems to understand that.

"I think early on, I learned a new system," Milroe added. "Getting incilned to how to learn, how to grow each and every day that you have is baby steps. So, that's the best part of the journey, coming into the (Senior Bowl), is having a firsthand experience of being part of a new offense."

#5 How Jalen Milroe plans on continuing to progress

Milroe will be working with former NFL quarterback and passing guru Jordan Palmer as the draft nears. Palmer has trained the likes of Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen.