Dan Orlovsky: Jalen Milroe can 'firmly' cement status as first round NFL Draft pick vs. Georgia

Jalen Milroe has come a long way in his development as a player and quarterback over his last year at Alabama. The next step of it could now come this weekend in setting himself up as a first-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Dan Orlovsky assessed Milroe’s stock in the context of Saturday’s matchup with No. 2 Georgia during ‘Get Up’ on Thursday. In his opinion, Milroe is a great outing against the ‘Dawgs away from eventually being one of the first players off the board come April.

“Jalen Milroe has the chance, in one game, to firmly plant himself into the first-round conversation of next year’s NFL Draft,” Orlovsky stated.

Again, that comes with the progression in his game that Milroe has shown over the past year. He was always an athletic player but has since added a lot to his passing game over his third and fourth seasons so far as Alabama’s QB1. The change in this year’s offense has now only further evolved his game.

“The growth that he has shown, the handling of their offense, the way he has performed in the red zone. You’re watching one of those annual quarterback climbs,” said Orlovsky. “If he has a great game against the Georgia defense that does not give up explosives? Let me put it this way. Georgia, if you play man coverage? Night night. Alabama can score 40.”

“As you’ve watched Jalen in the Kalen Deboer offense, the mechanics have totally settled,” Orlovsky continued. “We know he’s a dynamic athlete. The young man? You’ve been with him. It’s almost like being around Cam Newton. Like, ‘My goodness, you’re impressive’. The mechanics in his lower half, how balanced he has been, throwing the ball in the red zone in some of those tight windows. That’s where you’ve seen the greatest growth.”

Milroe finished last season by posting 2,834 passing yards, 23 touchdowns, and six interceptions while completing 65.8% of his throws. He also ran for 531 yards and a dozen more scores.

For reference, that includes where Milroe went 13-23 (56.5%) for 192 yards and two touchdowns against Georgia during a win in the 2023 SEC Championship.

Milroe has since started this year by throwing for 590 yards, eight touchdowns, and no picks on 67.3% completion. He’s still rushing as well too with 156 yards and six scores. That averages out to nearly 250 yards per game overall at 8.5 yards a play for 14 total touchdowns through three games.

Milroe will be on a primetime stage with his team in a top-five matchup within the SEC. If he performs well in it, Orlovsky thinks people in the pros will start to take note of him as one of the top prospects in the draft.

“He’s going against a defense in Georgia that doesn’t give up explosive plays. I think the only defense in college football that has given up less explosive plays is Ohio State,” Orlovsky said. “If he can create some explosive plays in both elements, the run and the pass? The conversation will start of a first-round quarterback.”