Jalen Milroe makes pitch to NFL teams at Combine: 'I'm cool with being underrated'

Jalen Milroe doesn’t mind the doubters or the haters. But when it comes to distinguishing himself amongst his fellow 2025 NFL Draft quarterbacks, the dual-threat former Alabama star is fully embracing the opportunity to prove them all wrong.

During Friday morning’s media availability at the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine, Milroe revealed his pitch to interested NFL teams as he’s attempting to break into Day 1 consideration in the upcoming NFL Draft.

“I’m cool with being underrated,” Milroe said Friday, according to AL.com. “I’ve played in the hardest conference in the country, I’ve played against the No. 1 team in the country, the No. 1 defense in the country. So, if I lacked knowledge, I wouldn’t be able to win big games.”

Amid an up-and-down 2024 in his second season as the Crimson Tide’s starting quarterback, Milroe repeatedly faced criticism from fans and media alike for perceived struggles with his in-game decision-making and properly reading defensive coverages.

Not that any of the criticism did anything to inhibit Milroe’s natural playmaking ability after racked up 36 total touchdowns — including 20 rushing scores — and 3,570 total yards in 2024. This comes after battling back from an early-season benching in 2023 to lead Alabama to the SEC Championship that season.

Jalen Milroe reveals what separates him from his fellow 2025 QBs

“(In) 2023, my first year starting, I didn’t lose an SEC game, and we were playing a lot of different defenses, a lot of things that would unravel when it came to game planning and a lot of things people don’t see,” Milroe continued. “It’s a grind, you know? It’s a social norm to think after a game on Saturday that it’s physically taxing, but it’s also mentally taxing because of everything involved in game planning, walkthroughs, the film, waking up early in the morning. So there’s a lot involved in being a successful quarterback, and it’s misinterpreted. The people that are around me know how much I love football, how much I’m looking to grow as a player. So it’s all about who definitely sees something in me.”

Currently, Milroe is ranked as the No. 5 quarterback in the 2025 draft class, according to ESPN draft expert Mel Kiper Jr., suggesting a likely Day 2 or early Day 3 selection.

Still, given his plan to throw Saturday and participate in many of the Combine’s quarterback-specific drills, while others like projected Top 10-selections Cam Ward of Miami and Shedeur Sanders of Colorado opted out, Milroe has an opportunity to turn heads and change minds among the NFL personnel.

“There’s a lot of things I can improve on, and there’s a lot of things that I can do. That’s something that I can definitely harp on as a player, and I’m just committed,” Milroe said. “I stayed at one school my whole time in college, I didn’t go anywhere when I had the opportunity to do so. I’ve been through adversity. So everything as a quarterback I’ve seen, I’ve played in the hardest conference in the country. It would’ve been easy to play in other conferences but what I was able to see in the SEC has catapulted me into being ready to play in the NFL.”