Alabama isn’t precisely the form of school soccer program to which one goes seeking to be a savior. That definitely wasn’t the case when Jalen Milroe arrived in Tuscaloosa with the Crimson Tide nonetheless within the midst of Nick Saban’s historic teaching run.
That is not essentially going to be the case within the NFL, relying on the place Milroe finally ends up being drafted on the finish of this month. If that place is Cleveland, then there can be a stage of these expectations positioned on him, if not in 2025 than as early as 2026.
Milroe’s not precisely one who’s going to reach within the NFL, with the Browns or elsewhere, with a Messiah complicated.
“I am not somebody to attempt to be a savior,” Milroe mentioned on the NFL scouting mix in early March. “I am somebody that is simply making an attempt to higher a program as a complete. So it is all about alternative. I might like to seize that chance as effectively and develop as a participant.”
There’s been some speak of Milroe already rising as a participant, simply from the time he performed his last recreation at Alabama till now. He is teamed up with Jordan Palmer, who runs QB Summit, to assist him repair a lot of his elementary points.
These elementary points are why many have been important of Milroe, regardless of greater than 6,000 profession passing yards, and greater than 2,800 in every of the final two seasons. The struggles got here to a head in on the Senior Bowl, the place he was 3-for-5 passing for 21 yards within the recreation after per week of apply throughout which he was underwhelming in his efficiency.
“I do know that the place I am at at present, I’ll be even higher this time subsequent 12 months, and so every thing I attempt to do is for the higher of the crew and never be one dimensional in any respect,” Milroe mentioned. “On the subject of bodily attributes on the soccer discipline, there’s plenty of issues I can enhance on, however there’s plenty of issues cannot. And there is plenty of issues I can positively say that I can do, and that is one thing that I can positively harp on as a participant, and I am simply dedicated.”
A month’s time between the Senior Bowl and the mix led to marked indicators of development when he threw in Indianapolis. He additionally had a strong displaying in his professional day.
The Browns held their very own personal exercise with Milroe two weeks in the past, attended by proprietor Jimmy Haslam, common supervisor Andrew Berry, coach Kevin Stefanski, offensive coordinator Tommy Rees — who was Milroe’s offensive coordinator in 2023 — and quarterbacks coach Invoice Musgrave, amongst others. That allowed Stefanski and others who had watched Milroe at each the Senior Bowl and mix to gauge how a lot he’d improved in that span.
Milroe was certainly one of three quarterbacks who had been in Berea on Tuesday, together with Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart and Louisville’s Tyler Shough. The Browns have additionally met a number of occasions with Miami quarterback Cam Ward and Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders.
“I do not know if I would say enchancment,” Stefanski advised a gaggle of Browns beat writers, together with the Beacon Journal, on the AFC coaches breakfast on the homeowners conferences final week. “I imply, clearly, I do know the Senior Bowl, you get within the seven on seven or that sort of drill, so that is on air. However, yeah, I feel you are at all times taking a look at mechanics and the way you may assist a participant.
“I feel the largest factor is it is such a physique of labor, it is such an all-encompassing factor whenever you’re speaking about evaluating these guys. So you do not wish to say, hey, he had an ideal throwing session that at some point that shoots him up your draft board. You are taking all of this into consideration.”
Kalen DeBoer solely coached Milroe one season after changing Saban following his retirement. Nevertheless, that one season with the quarterback confirmed him Milroe’s work ethic.
That was most notable to DeBoer after a few of Milroe’s worst performances. He mentioned in a February interview with the Beacon Journal how the quarterback bounced again from a three-interception recreation in opposition to Oklahoma in November that primarily ended Alabama’s playoff hopes.
“He did what I might’ve anticipated him and he must do, and that is you come again the subsequent day and also you’re studying and also you’re getting higher due to it,” DeBoer advised the Beacon Journal. “You win and also you be taught, and also you additionally bought to be taught whenever you lose, and that is the tougher one tablet to swallow.
“So he did what he needed to do, and what he had proven in different conditions the place possibly the crew got here up brief, whether or not it was issues that fell extra on him or on different guys or it was simply we would now be higher throughout the board. He got here again and was robust within the face of every thing.”
That is all a part of a journey that began when Milroe arrived at a spot the place success is barely measured in nationwide championships. It is continued as he is tried to indicate numerous NFL scouts, personnel executives and coaches the uncooked expertise they noticed at Alabama has grown right into a extra polished prospect they will belief with their franchise.
That journey, Milroe mentioned, is central to his capability to turn out to be a franchise quarterback — and, in some circumstances, franchise savior — for the crew that takes an opportunity on him on this month’s draft.
“The most important factor as a participant can be higher than you had been the day earlier than and attempt to try for greatness,” Milroe mentioned. “Climbing a mountain ain’t simple, however whenever you get to the highest of the mountain you will be taught so many issues in the case of adversity, in the case of hardship, issues alongside the way in which.
“And so I had all that all through my journey as a participant, and so I am simply seeking to lead or seeking to develop as a participant and be higher than I used to be this previous season.”
Chris Easterling may be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Learn extra concerning the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports activities/browns. Comply with him on X at @ceasterlingABJ
