The Las Vegas Raiders are back in the same, frustrating spot—searching for a franchise quarterback. It’s been a QB carousel, and even with the presence of GOAT QB Tom Brady as a minority owner, there’s no real long-term answer in sight. And now, with a new coaching staff under HC Pete Carroll, the silver and grays are staring down another critical decision. The Raiders own the sixth overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, and the direction they take will define the future of the franchise. Do they stand put and hope the right guy falls to them? Do they make a bold move up the board? Or, as some insiders suggest, do they take a chance on a player whose stock is dropping? The one like Alabma Crimson Tide passer, Jalen Milroe.
The Alabama quarterback isn’t a consensus first-rounder, but with the right fit, he just might be the wild card the Raiders need. Sports Illustrated’s Hondo S. Carpenter Sr. has been around this league long enough to know when a QB turns heads at the NFL Combine. And according to him, Milroe did just that. Speaking on the Las Vegas Raiders Insider podcast, Carpenter praised Milroe’s raw talent. “Jalen Milroe, very impressive. There were a lot of people that were pleasantly surprised. His answers were tremendous, his knowledge was extremely impressive.” That’s exactly the kind of talk that can get a prospect back on the radar for teams like the Raiders, who are searching for upside.
The Alabama product showcased elite athleticism, a strong arm, and the type of leadership that makes scouts take notice. But accuracy? That remains the question mark. It always has been. And Carpenter straight up said Milroe’s development at Alabama might have been a bit bumpy. “I think the change in coaching maybe hurt him a little bit with Alabama.” That’s the crux of the Jalen Milroe discussion. He’s a freak athlete with tools that simply can’t be taught, but his fundamentals still need work.
Yet, what truly separated him from the pack during his interviews was his self-awareness. Teams grilled him about his weaknesses, and instead of dodging the question or giving a rehearsed answer, he leaned into it. “A guy goes, we are there interviewing Jalen Milroe, and he is telling us all the areas he is working on right now,” Carpenter said. “To which this team said to him, ‘Are you not concerned pointing out those things to us?’” Milroe’s response?
“You should be concerned of any guy that comes in this room who has not played a down of NFL football and does not tell you he has weakness or that he is not working on them. Plus, that is an insult because that means he does not think you know how to watch the film.” That kind of answer? That’s what makes front offices take notice. That’s the kind of attitude that sells a coaching staff on a player who needs development but has the right mindset to put in the work.
Carpenter put it bluntly: “Phenomenal, he knocked it out of the park.” Still, for all the upside Milroe brings to the table, there’s no ignoring the growing divide among analysts about his draft stock. Bama quarterbacks have long been a mixed bag in the NFL. Bryce Young, Tua Tagovailoa, Mac Jones—none have been slam-dunk, generational franchise passers. Jalen Hurts, who technically finished his college career at Oklahoma, became the first Crimson Tide quarterback to win a Super Bowl since 1976. But as for Milroe?
Analyst Chris Simms doesn’t even think he’s a 2nd-rounder. That’s a tough pill to swallow for a guy who just helped lead Alabama to a strong season. This is where the conversation gets tricky for the Raiders. Jalen Milroe is the type of quarterback who can electrify an offense, but if the league truly sees him as a late-Day 2 prospect, is he worth investing in with the sixth overall pick?
If Simms is right, then perhaps Vegas could afford to trade down, accumulate assets, and still land him in a later round. But that comes with its own risks.
Is Jalen Milroe a gamble?
#4 might be one of the most electrifying quarterbacks in the draft. Yes, he magically increased his hand size, going from 8 3/4 inches to 9 3/8 inches at the Combine, but even that doesn’t mean he could go early. On the latest episode of Unbuttoned, Simms broke down why NFL teams may hesitate when it comes to selecting the Alabama QB, even drawing comparisons to Jalen Hurts.
Simms acknowledged the similarities—both were raw talents with elite athleticism—but pointed out a key difference: Hurts had already proven he could make critical throws at the college level. Milroe? Not so much. “He’s got tremendous high-end talent, but I don’t think he’s going to go in the second round either. I think there’s a little bit too much project there,” Simms explained. The biggest concern?
Milroe’s inconsistency…..
“We had moments with Jalen. Milroe, as the year went on, wasn’t as good and couldn’t run the ba-l, it exposed him a little bit. I don’t think he’s in the second round. Maybe late third round, it might be the start of day three.” When Alabama was rolling, Milroe looked like a star. But when the pressure mounted, his accuracy, decision-making, and pocket presence became glaring weaknesses. So, is he worth the gamble?
The post Raiders Insider Clears Stance on Jalen Milroe as Chris Simms Gives Upsetting News on NFL Draft Stocks appeared first on EssentiallySports.
