Jalen Milroe drafted by Seahawks in Round 3: Alabama QB taken before Shedeur Sanders in 2025 NFL Draft

Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe has found his new NFL home, as he was selected by the Seattle Seahawks with the No. 92 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. That's the selection the Seahawks acquired in the Geno Smith trade with the Las Vegas Raiders last month. Milroe is one of the most fascinating quarterbacks in this class, as several coaches and scouts believe he is the best running quarterback they've ever seen. Yes, better than Lamar Jackson.

While he's a quarterback, there's no doubt that Milroe is known for his rushing ability. He led the SEC with 71 total touchdowns over the past two seasons, and 32 of those scores came on the ground. Last season, 20 of Milroe's 36 total touchdowns came via rushing attempts. Tim Tebow, Cam Newton and Johnny Manziel are the only other SEC quarterbacks to ever rush for 20 touchdowns in a single season. Milroe does have the arm to play in the NFL, but it needs to be refined. He's a work in progress from an accuracy standpoint, and would probably benefit from sitting for a year. In 2024, Milroe threw just five touchdowns compared to 10 interceptions in SEC play.

Milroe was the fourth quarterback selected in the 2025 NFL Draft, behind Cam Ward and Jaxson Dart in the first round, then Tyler Shough in the second round. In Seattle, Milroe joins a crowded quarterback room headlined by Sam Darnold, who signed with the Seahawks in free agency following his career year with the Minnesota Vikings. Also included in that room is Drew Lock, Sam Howell and Jaren Hall.

Here's what the Seahawks are getting in Milroe, including his full scouting report, pro comparison, career accolades and overall NFL outlook.

"Head coach Mike Macdonald had a front-row seat to a pair of Lamar Jackson MVP seasons in Baltimore, and Milroe is the closest athletic specimen we've seen to Jackson from a running perspective. Flashes of impressive strikes downfield and the arm strength is above-average. Needs to learn to make quicker decisions and find the check down more often, not always looking for the home run. I love this pick because it provides long-term insurance for Sam Darnold, and he won't be asked to play right away of course." -- Chris Trapasso

The 2025 NFL Draft continues with Round 3 on Friday night. Join us for live 2025 NFL Draft analysis from CBS Sports and an updating NFL Draft tracker. Also check out Chris Trapasso's NFL Draft grades for every second-round pick and NFL Draft grades for every third-round pick. For additional draft coverage, subscribe to the "With the First Pick" podcast for nightly recaps, winners and losers and more from Green Bay, Wisconsin. If you missed Pete Prisco's Round 1 grades, check them out here.

Jalen Milroe NFL Draft profile

Age as of Week 1: 23 years old

23 years old Height: 6-foot-1 ⅞

6-foot-1 ⅞ Weight: 217 pounds

217 pounds Hand size: 9 ⅜ inches

9 ⅜ inches Comparable body-type to: Shorter Justin Fields

Rating: 80.30 (Starter)

Position: No. 4 QB | Overall: No. 94

There is no perfect comparison for Milroe because of his combination of speed, explosiveness, elusiveness and power as a runner and his explosive release as a thrower. However, Tyrod Taylor is another quarterback who generates throwing power in a similar fashion to Milroe with a similar release. Taylor is not the runner Milroe is and never was, but he was an effective rusher coming out of Virginia Tech. Think of Milroe as a faster and more explosive version of Taylor, but a less accurate thrower of the football in all areas of the field -- specifically the shorter throws.

Jalen Milroe NFL Draft scouting report

Jalen Milroe is a sturdy, decently sized QB with explosive athletic traits and ascending skills as a passer. Overall, he's still reasonably raw throwing from in the pocket, as he processes coverage a tick late and doesn't always trust what he sees. Also, Milroe's accuracy is not yet consistent enough to be a reliable NFL starter. He has glimpses of stellar ball placement, but there are other moments of egregious misses on what should be routine throws. Also, the accuracy dips when he's not in a perfectly clean pocket reasonably often. The velocity Milroe can generate from the pocket is above NFL average but not elite, and it's more impressive than his overall arm talent to make challenging throws on the run. From the pocket, he's clearly progressing with reading the entire field and making quality decisions, but his release is not super quick. His pocket navigation showed glimpses of development but not deft in that regard yet. As a runner, Milroe absolutely has designed-run capability. He will instantly be one of the fastest QBs in the NFL and can juke like a WR in space. Everything about his game is trending in the right direction, but he's not quite a finished product right now.

About

2024: William V. Campbell Trophy winner (best combination of academics, community service and on-field performance in the nation)

2024: 20 rushing touchdowns ranked second in FBS by a QB and tied for fourth-most in program history

Strengths

Plus athlete with a sturdy frame to become a serious dual-threat weapon in the NFL

Clearly showed signs of passing development in college, mostly with decision-making and full-field reads

Arm strength is above NFL average

Weaknesses

Accuracy still needs considerable improvement

At times he's late getting the football to his intended target

Arm strength is more impressive than his arm talent; not a special player throwing on the run

CBS Sports takes an in-depth look at Jalen Milroe as a draft prospect.

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