Seahawks HC Mike Macdonald sets record straight on Jalen Milroe's position - "Quarterback through and through"

The Seattle Seahawks selected Jalen Milroe with the 92nd pick in the third round of the 2025 NFL draft. The franchise also signed Sam Darnold during free agency, so the Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback appears to have competition if he wants to earn playing time during his rookie year.

Some around the league have suggested that Milroe could potentially play a different position due to his elite athleticism and dominant rushing performances during his college football career. Head coach Mike Macdonald commented on this idea, essentially shutting it down when speaking to the media on Friday.

"Jalen is a quarterback through and through," Macdonald said. "He's going to be trained to play quarterback for us. When he's in there, he's going to be playing quarterback. But the athleticism is going to come to life when he's on the field. That's how he's going to help us."

Macdonald seems to be excited about the intriguing upside of Milroe's game, which included him being one of the best rushing quarterbacks in the entire country last year. He described why this could be a weapon and how it contributed to the Seahawks' decision to draft him.

Macdonald continued:

"Quarterbacks that extend the play are incredibly difficult to defend. The worst feeling in the world is you play the first play of the play perfectly on defense, you defend it, then the guy still has the ball. You've got to defend the next play, sometimes a third play. It's not a fun existence to live consistently. He has that ability."

Jalen Milroe was the fourth quarterback selected in the 2025 NFL draft, following Cam Ward, Jaxson Dart and Tyler Shough. He was somewhat surprisingly taken before Shedeur Sanders, as the Seahawks apparently preferred Milroe's upside to Sanders' consistency. Considering he rushed for 1,257 yards and 32 touchdowns across his final two years at Alabama, it's understandable why.

What drafting Jalen Milroe means for Sam Darnold in Seattle

Jalen Milroe - GETTY

Selecting Jalen Milroe in the third round of the 2025 NFL draft creates an interesting situation for the Seattle Seahawks' quarterback situation. They also signed Sam Darnold during the free agency period, so there could be a competition for the starting role during training camp.

Even if Darnold is named the starter for Week 1, he will likely need to perform well in order to keep his job. He helped the Minnesota Vikings to a 14-3 record last year, but most of his career has been fairly disappointing. If he were to regress this season, it wouldn't be surprising to see the Seahawks give Milroe his opportunity sooner rather than later.