2025 NFL Draft: Nick Saban admits trying to land Wyatt Milum in NCAA transfer portal

Former Alabama coach Nick Saban was a big fan of Wyatt Milum when the former West Virginia offensive lineman played throughout college. So much so, he wanted him to transfer to Alabama!

Milum will continue his football career in the NFL now with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He was selected with the No. 89 overall pick (third round).

“Another one of those recruits that we lost,” Saban said on the ABC broadcast of the draft. “We tried to get this guy every year in the portal, but this guy’s got really good feet. He’s very athletic. One thing I like about this guy is he can bend, watch him bend here and punch. Got good balance and body control … he can redirect and finish.”

Milum earned freshman All-American honors after playing in all 12 games for the Mountaineers in 2021. He started eight of those games at right tackle. Despite his success at the position, he would make the flip to his quarterback’s blind side and would play at the left tackle position for the next three seasons.

Similar accolades would follow him to the other side of the offensive line. Milum was an Honorable Mention All-Big 12 Conference selection after starting all 12 games for the Mountaineers in 2022. He would turn that into second-team all-conference honors the following season.

In 2024, he was awarded Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year honors, as well as an AP second-team All-American. Of course, he earned first-team All-Big 12 honors for his efforts. Overall, Milum started 43 of the 47 games he appeared in for West Virginia.

Milum almost didn’t have his prolific college career, however. At one time, Milum was a left-handed pitcher on the baseball diamond. He was even committed to Marshall’s baseball program at one time. However, his choice to play football in Morgantown worked out for the All-American offensive lineman. Now, Milum is on his way to the NFL.

Before college, Milum rated as a four-star prospect according to the On3 Industry Rankings, which is a proprietary algorithm that compiles ratings and rankings from all four primary recruiting media services. He was the No. 137 overall recruit in the 2021 recruiting class, and was the No. 17 offensive tackle at his position.