Daniel Jeremiah explains drop in draft stock for Jalen Milroe, Quinn Ewers

After a record six quarterbacks were selected in the first 12 overall picks of the 2024 NFL Draft, the 2025 quarterback class is being widely panned as a disappointing group overall.

And while those perceptions can certainly change over the next four months, especially with next week’s Senior Bowl in Mobile and next month’s NFL Combine in Indianapolis, the current prevailing opinion among NFL personnel isn’t particular high on the 2025 NFL Draft‘s QBs.

Much of those criticisms center around the general lack of viable Day 1 starters among the top quarterback options. In fact, by most accounts, only Miami‘s Cam Ward and Colorado‘s Shedeur Sanders are even viewed as sure-fire first round options.

Meanwhile, NFL personnel are highly conflicted about that next-best grouping of QBs that includes Alabama‘s Jalen Milroe and Texas‘ Quinn Ewers, among others.

NFL Network draft expert Daniel Jeremiah addressed the perceived issues with both during Thursday’s appearance on The Pat McAfee Show.

Daniel Jeremiah questions how injuries impacted Quinn Ewers

“With Ewers, I watched him over the summer and was excited about him coming into the year. I felt like I was higher on him than a lot of people, but I saw some good things from his tape. I saw someone who I thought had some twitch to him, quick eyes, quick release. I was hoping he would take that next step,” Jeremiah said. “Now he got hurt and one of the things I’ve got to try and figure out and get information on as we go through the Spring is how much of that impacted him. Because he didn’t play as well, he wasn’t as urgent and quick, … but then he had the oblique that bothered him, he had a high-ankle sprain. So how much did that impact him? He didn’t play as well as me and some others had hoped he would based off where he was last year.”

Ewers battled multiple injuries throughout his collegiate career, missing at least two games in each of his three seasons in Austin. Still, despite ankle and oblique injuries this past season, Ewers threw a SEC-leading 31 touchdowns over 14 games while guiding Texas to a runner-up finish in its first season in the league and a College Football Playoff quarterfinal appearance vs. eventual national champion Ohio State. Ewers ranked fourth in the SEC with 3,472 yards on 65.8-percent passing but was also had a SEC-worst 12 interceptions in 2024.

Daniel Jeremiah: Jalen Milroe has ‘huge opportunity’ to impress at Senior Bowl

Milroe also had an up-and-down 2024, leading the SEC with 36 total touchdowns — including 20 rushing scores, just two behind league-leading running back Dylan Sampson of Tennessee — but seemed to take a step back as a passer with just 2,844 yards on 64.3-percent passing and a 16-to-11 touchdown-to-interception ratio this past season.

“Then when you get to Alabama and you watch Milroe, you want him to be good so bad because everything you hear is he’s a great kid,” Jeremiah said of the 6-foot-2, 225-pound Milroe. “He’s freaking jacked. He’s a big, strong, physical kid that can run like crazy, and (you wonder) can he take the next steps as a passer. Then just some of the decision-making, the Oklahoma game is kind of one that jumps out, it just kind of got away from him. He’s got a huge opportunity at the Senior Bowl next week. He’s going to be down there, so we’ll get a chance to see him.

“I think, just the traits, we’ve seen that go sideways as of late, when you just go all-in on traits and some of the quarterbacking stuff isn’t there. And you’re like, ‘Ok, that’s going to come.’ And sometimes it doesn’t,” Jeremiah added “He’s a little bit of an enigma. But somebody will (take him), he’s going to go on Day 2 just because the tools are so interesting.”

Of course, there’s plenty of time for both Ewers and Milroe to mitigate any concerns NFL personnel have before the 2025 NFL Draft officially kicks off April 24-26 from Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin.