With the NFL draft just one sleep away, the rumors surrounding some top quarterback prospects are running rampant.
Projected top-five pick and Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders has gone from media darling to a prospect that some are projecting could fall out of the opening round. Other prospects like 25-year-old Louisville quarterback Tyler Shough are skyrocketing up draft boards.In a recent report by NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, anonymous NFL staffers discussed the top signal-callers in the draft. One player who is viewed as having first-round potential but didn’t draw rave reviews was Alabama’s Jalen Milroe. One executive reportedly suggested he change to running back, while a coordinator revealed that his return to Alabama could have been disastrous for the Tide.
The anonymous coordinator from the AFC revealed that had Milroe gone back to Tuscaloosa for a fifth season, the skill position guys around him would have fled.
“He’s a 22 mph-on-the-ground guy,” the AFC coordinator said. “He’s got a fastball that’s not very accurate. He doesn’t know when to take it off the ball. We heard out of Alabama all the skill [players] would’ve transferred if he came back. He wants to be known as a pocket quarterback and your best skill is you’re frickin’ fast.”While the coach didn’t specify who would have left, he did say “all,” which indicates that names such as freshman All-American Ryan Williams, Germie Bernard and Jalen Hale may have been considering their options.
With Milroe off to the NFL, the Crimson Tide are in the middle of a three-man battle between Ty Simpson, Austin Mack and five-star freshman Keelon Russell.
Considering the Tide lost receivers Kendrick Law (Kentucky), Caleb Odom (Ole Miss), Amari Jefferson (Tennessee) and Jaren Hamilton (Arizona State) to the portal already, had Milroe returned, there apparently could have been even more departures.
As for Milroe, ESPN’s latest mock draft had him falling to No. 33 to the Cleveland Browns. He will look to prove the naysayers wrong, as he frequently did during his career at Alabama.
