Rumors of the Pittsburgh Steelers being high on Alabama QB Jalen Milroe spread earlier this month. One beat writer is pushing back. The Athletic’s Mike DeFabo tweeted Saturday afternoon the Steelers aren’t as high on Milroe as some pundits believe they are, projecting him to be drafted before they’d want to select him.
I’m hearing pretty much the exact opposite,” DeFabo tweeted at Andrew Fillipponi, who tweeted earlier this month the team “loved” Milroe. “The Steelers believe Jalen Milroe will be picked well before they’d be comfortable taking that risk.”
Milroe is wrapping up a week at the Senior Bowl after a mixed bag of practices. He flashed his arm talent and physical skillset that makes him an intriguing prospect but struggled with accuracy and reading defenses, the two biggest flaws in his game.
He’s competing to be the third quarterback selected in what’s considered a weak class. Miami (FL)’s Cam Ward and Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders are the top two arms in the draft but everything beyond them is wide open. Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart is drawing buzz after a strong week of practices while Ohio State’s Will Howard led the Buckeyes to a National Championship. There’s also former Ohio State quarterback Kyle McCord, shining at Syracuse this season.
Our scouting report considered Milroe a fourth-round prospect. Though athletic with a big arm, his volatile game made him a risk.
“Overall, Milroe is a physically gifted quarterback who will fit best in a vertical system. One that allows him to air the ball out downfield. But regarding the details and minutia of the position, he’s got a lot to work on. In that sense, he reminds me of a Jameis Winston. A gun-slinger type and likeable in the locker room but hard to trust over a long season.”
Our final comp was to Justin Fields, a quarterback with similar up and down play out of college. We put a much higher grade on Howard, who showed more consistency and better play from within the pocket.
Pittsburgh’s attention on quarterbacks will be a clue to how much interest they have in drafting one this season. In 2022, they didn’t hide their interest one bit, attending every major Pro Day and meeting with the top arms of that year’s class. They landed on Kenny Pickett, a whiff, and it sounds like they’d be cautious of placing too much hope in Milroe. Instead, they’ll allow another team to bet on his traits.
