Insider Notes on 2025 NFL Draft: Jalen Milroe's first-round status, Matthew Golden's rising stock, Raiders' interest in Quinn Ewers, and more

Is Jalen Milroe first-round worthy? Will he or won’t he end up in the first round? That’s the question many are wondering about Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe, who was invited to attend the first round of the draft by the NFL.

Rumors are rampant that the Steelers will take Milroe with the 21st selection, something I cannot confirm.

If you read my previews last summer or listened to my podcasts or interviews through the first half of the 2024 college season, you’ll know I’m a Milroe guy, to the point that I was chided for continually putting him the first round of my mock drafts in the early going.

Yet I’ve been down on his play since the middle of October, as Milroe never followed through on the potential I believe he possesses. As I said early on, I firmly believed Milroe had the ability to make a Jayden Daniels-type jump up draft boards, the direction he seemed to be headed in the early part of last season.

Yet a poor second half to the 2024 campaign, when Milroe was beating opponents with his legs rather than his arm, was followed by an uninspired performance at the Senior Bowl and an equally ineffective throwing session at the combine.

I’ve maintained all along that Milroe tops this quarterback class when it comes to physical skills, as his arm strength, athleticism, and ability to make plays with his legs are unmatched.

He is also a high-character person and a leader on the field and the sidelines, the type of player and personality you want at the quarterback position.

So, will he end up in the first round? As one trusted source told me, if Anthony Richardson was taken with the fourth pick of the draft, then Milroe is worth taking in Round 1.

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Notes on prospects from the state of Texas

Quinn Ewers: NFL: FEB 28 Scouting Combine - Source: Getty

Like the Ohio State pro day, the Longhorns workout was a mini-combine, as the program will have at least a dozen players selected in this month’s draft. Yet it’s not definite that a UT player will be drafted first from the state, as that honor could go to an Aggies star.

You could make the argument that receiver Matthew Golden is the fastest-rising player as we head towards the opening of the draft. Multiple people tell me he will be the first receiver selected, and he’s done a great job during the predraft process, running the 40 in 4.29 seconds at the combine and then looking great in receiver drills at pro day.

As one source said to me, Golden stole the thunder from Isaiah Bond, the Alabama transfer who was expected to be the star receiver coming out of Austin this year.

The Dallas Cowboys, who hold the 12th pick, seem to be the likely spot for Golden, as they will target receivers in the early going, something I was the first to report from the Senior Bowl.

Golden, as well as offensive lineman Kelvin Banks Jr. and cornerback Jahdae Barron, will be first-round picks, yet there’s plenty of news on the team’s Day 2 selections.

Offensive tackle Cameron Williams, who struggled late in the season with an injury after being hailed as a potential first-round pick, was recently cleared medically and was not required to return to Indianapolis for the combine medical recheck.

Williams sat on the sidelines during the Longhorns pro day, but he will work out for NFL teams on April 16 in Dallas. Present grades I’ve received from teams for Williams hover from the late part of Day 2 to early Day 3. Williams recently had an official-30 visit with the Cowboys.

More of a sure thing on Day 2, safety Andrew Mukuba is getting a lot of love in the lead-up to the draft. A four-year starter who began his career at Clemson before transferring to Texas last season, Mukuba entered 2024 graded as a late-round pick, yet he’s now unlikely to get out of the third round.

Teams love his versatility, as Mukuba flourished as a free safety last season after successfully playing mostly man coverage in his final year with the Tigers in 2023. Many outside pundits were down on Mukuba after the defensive back tipped the scales at 186 pounds during the combine, yet he played closer to 195 pounds during the season, one pound more than his pro-day weight of 194 pounds.

As mentioned on Twitter on Thursday, Mukuba made a trip to see the New York Jets for an official-30 visit, as he’s the perfect fit for an Aaron Glenn defense, and the team needs a safety. Mukuba had previously visited the Cowboys, and he’s getting a lot of interest from teams selecting at the bottom of each round, including the Philadelphia Eagles, Buffalo Bills, and Baltimore Ravens.

Quarterback Quinn Ewers could possibly be the most overlooked prospect in this draft. Hailed by many as a potential top-10 prospect nine months ago, Ewers does not get the credit he deserves less than two weeks out from the draft.

The fact that he’s almost an afterthought in this year’s quarterback class is insane, in my opinion, considering he’s gone 27-8 as a three-year starter at Texas and led the team to the College Football Playoff semifinals the past two seasons; and one could argue possibly the national title game last season were it not for a horrendous second-down call in the red zone then a bad sack given up by Williams two snaps later. He completed 65 percent of his passes during his time at Texas for 9,128 yards and 68 TDs. People will manufacture holes in Ewers’ game and find reasons not to like him, but he’s legitimate starting material on Sundays.

Ewers has made visits to see the Indianapolis Colts, Las Vegas Raiders, and Cowboys. I’ve known for a while that the Raiders really like Ewers, as do the New Orleans Saints. He’ll be great value on Day 2.

Shemar Stewart: 2025 NFL Scouting Combine - Source: Getty

If Banks is not the first player from the state of Texas selected in the draft, who will it be? Some believe it will be Shemar Stewart, who will end up a top-12 pick.

I’ve had multiple sources tell me that Stewart could be the third pass rusher off the board, as teams love his upside and athleticism, which was showcased at the combine.

There’s also a huge amount of downside risk to his game, considering the fact that he totaled just 1.5 sacks last season and a combined 4.5 sacks during his college career.

As I’ve written since Stewart’s mind-blowing workout in Indianapolis, teams are concerned about his inability to change direction and bend off the edge, which they tell me led to a loss of opportunity to pad his sack numbers.

And as I’ve been reporting, many compare Stewart to Vernon Gholston, the former first-round bust of the Jets. It must be noted that Stewart never tested in the short shuttle or the three-cone or participated in position drills at the combine or pro day.

Pass-rushing teammate Nic Scourton is getting a lot of conversation as a potential late first-round pick. He was in Philadelphia visiting the Eagles for an official-30 visit Thursday of this week, and the Ravens have shown a lot of interest in Scourton.

People have made a big deal of Scourton dropping 25 pounds between the end of the season and the combine, but as I mentioned previously, TAMU had Scourton and other defenders playing at too heavy a weight; people tell me his ideal playing weight is 265 pounds.

Shemar Turner is another who was playing too heavy for TAMU last season by design, as he was nearly 310 pounds, at least 15-20 pounds heavier than scouts see him at the next level.

During Senior Bowl practices, I reported on the botched treatment of a stress fracture diagnosed in his leg last August. Rather than allow Turner to rest so the injury would heal naturally, the school put a small rod into his leg, setting back his pre-draft training.

He will be ready for camp this summer from what I’m told, and he’ll come off the board early on Day 2. Turner is getting consideration at defensive tackle and as a two-gap end.

He’s already made official-30 visits to see the Cowboys, Arizona Cardinals, Jets, as well as the Indianapolis Colts. His travels will finish up the next week with trips to see the Miami Dolphins and Tampa Bay Bucs.

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