With Milroe set to visit Seattle, will the Seahawks actually take a quarterback early in the draft?
As we hurdle faster and faster towards the NFL Draft, now just two weeks away, we continue to see and hear about the 30 visits that the Seattle Seahawks are taking with this year’s draft prospects. While most of the names so far haven’t raised many eyebrows, Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports reported on Wednesday that Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe will be making a 30 visit over the next few days with the Seahawks, Los Angeles Rams, and New York Giants.
Milroe is the second QB so far to take a 30 visit with Seattle, with Louisville’s Tyler Shough the first scheduled. For Milroe, this continues to add to the rumors that his stock is rapidly on the rise, especially after he accepted an invite to attend the draft, an offer not normally given to players who the league thinks won’t be drafted early. This Milroe 30 visit also continues to add more smoke to the potential of the Seahawks taking a QB somewhat early in this draft.
This is an impressive rise for Milroe, who’s had an up and down past two seasons. As the starter for two years at Alabama, Milroe went 21-6 as a starter, completing 65% of his passes for 5,678 passing yards and a 39/17 TD to INT ratio. While the throwing numbers leave a bit to be desired, the damage Milroe did with his legs was a different story. In 26 games, Milroe ran for 1,257 yards and 32 rushing touchdowns.
With Milroe, you’re looking at the most athletically talented quarterback in this class. With a level of explosive running ability that would put him close to the same class as Lamar Jackson. His ability to extend plays and exceptional deep throws are a big reason why we’re seeing this recent talk of Jalen being a top 50 pick. It’s pretty much everything else that a quarterback needs to do that has people concerned.
Milroe’s struggles with reading the defense, and inability to be accurate consistently in the short and intermediate passes leave a lot to be desired. These concerns were on full display after a disastrous Senior Bowl week that saw his draft stock collapse. Since then, he’s continued to work on his mechanics and has dominated his team interviews.
Milroe is clearly a project, and it may take a couple of years for him to become a competent NFL passer. There’s also no denying that his athletic skills could be used as a massive advantage from day one in the league. Seattle presents a good fit and opportunity for a player like Milroe. Jalen could sit behind Sam Darnold for a season or two, learning the offense and how to be a better passer, while also providing an explosive spark on offense with running and short yardage packages.
You can make a case that Jalen is the biggest “high risk/high reward” prospect in this class, especially if the rumors of him going between picks 21 and 50 are true. We’ll see quite a few more names added to the 30 team list, but Milroe’s name may be the most fascinating one that Seattle invites.