Ranking Jalen Milroe's Best 1st Round Landing Spots After NFL Draft Green Room Invite

The 2025 NFL draft isn’t likely to match last year’s edition with a record number of quarterbacks coming off the board early in the first round, but it does seem that at least one more signal-caller than expected will hear his name called on Day 1.

According to The Athletic’s Dane Brugler, Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe has accepted an invitation to attend the draft.

Milroe is not widely regarded as a first-rounder by draft experts. For instance, the B/R Scouting Department has the Crimson Tide product ranked as the No. 79 overall prospect and No. 5 overall quarterback in the 2025 class. They have Milroe behind not only the two consensus Round 1 picks (Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders) but also trailing Will Howard and Jaxson Dart, both of whom didn’t make the first-round cut in their latest mock draft.  

Despite that, Milroe will be in the green room for the opening night of the draft. That doesn’t mean the Alabama star will be taken within the first round, though, as other quarterbacks have slid to Day 2 despite their in-person attendance.

Tennessee Titans quarterback Will Levis was the most recent example. He opted to return home to Connecticut after not hearing his name called in the first round two years ago. Others have suffered a similar fate as well.

If Milroe does get selected in the first round, we've ranked the five best landing spots for him based on fit, value and chances of him going on to have a successful NFL career.

No. 5: Cleveland Browns

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The Cleveland Browns are on the cusp of a critical draft. Their biggest roster hole is at quarterback, but they may not be in a rush to use the No. 2 overall pick on that position.

Cleveland is only a season removed from making a surprise playoff run with midseason free-agent pickup Joe Flacco at the helm. It still has plenty of pieces in place to contend, including a recently extended Defensive Player of the Year candidate in Myles Garrett and star cornerback Denzel Ward.

But the Browns do need the type of jolt that only young draftees can provide. How they utilize their 10 picks will directly impact the future success of the organization.

The Browns could address their signal-caller situation in several ways. The easiest would be to select Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders with the No. 2 pick, but that might not be the best use of their capital. They could instead land a far higher-rated prospect—such as Penn State edge-rusher Abdul Carter, whom the B/R Scouting Department has them selecting in its latest mock draft—and then trade back up into the first round to select Milroe.

Milroe would give the Browns a talented but raw talent to develop along with Kenny Pickett, the 2022 first-round pick whom they traded for earlier this offseason.

Both of these quarterbacks have upside, although Pickett is less likely to turn into a reliable starter going into his age-27 season. With Deshaun Watson being the only other Browns quarterback currently under contract, Milroe would give Cleveland a high-ceiling prospect to build around for years to come.

No. 4: Pittsburgh Steelers

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The Pittsburgh Steelers must feel desperate for a quarterback right now. They let both Justin Fields and Russell Wilson walk in free agency and have yet to find a suitable replacement.

While the Steelers could eventually fill that hole with Aaron Rodgers, the 41-year-old isn’t a long-term solution. Even if the future Hall of Famer does sign with them instead of retiring this offseason, they shouldn’t shy away from taking a swing on a quarterback prospect on Day 1 of the 2025 draft.

Unfortunately, Pittsburgh would likely need to trade up to land either Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders. Rather than mortgage the future and give up a majority of the six picks they currently hold in the draft, the Steelers could instead make the high-risk, high-reward decision to take Milroe when they are on the clock at No. 21.

Milroe could become the heir to Ben Roethlisberger that the Steelers have long needed. They have floundered since the his 18-year tenure with the franchise ended after the 2021 campaign and need to find a prospect to rally around.

While Milroe is far from a sure thing, his upside is undeniable. The 6’2”, 217-pound prospect has a good build and packs immense strength into his frame. He’s extremely explosive and is capable of ripping off a big play at any moment with either his arm or legs.

Milroe can't be counted on right away to stand tall in the pocket and pick out targets with the rush bearing down, and he’ll need to work on his ability to read coverages as well. But the ‘Bama star has a sky-high ceiling and could quickly develop into a quality NFL starter.

Milroe may not be the best value pick for the Steelers, but he could be the type of franchise-altering selection that a team floundering in the middle of the pack needs to break back into Super Bowl contention.

No. 3: Dallas Cowboys

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The Dallas Cowboys have consistently been among the NFL's better teams since installing Dak Prescott as their starting quarterback nearly a decade ago. While they recently rewarded the nine-year veteran by making him the highest-paid player in league history, it may not be long before they're looking for his replacement.

Despite Prescott’s regular-season success—he’s made three Pro Bowls and has a 76-46 record as a starter—he has yet to guide the Cowboys past the divisional round of the playoffs. They've gone just 2-5 across seven playoff games with Prescott at the helm.

With Prescott coming off an abysmal, injury-shortened 2024 campaign, it may be time to invest in the 31-year-old’s successor.

The Cowboys already made a shocking change this offseason by parting ways with head coach Mike McCarthy and promoting offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer into the role. The next domino to fall could be Prescott, who could be benched if he regresses upon his return from his hamstring injury.

Dallas allowed longtime backup Cooper Rush to sign with the Baltimore Ravens in free agency and only has Joe Milton III as a backup option after recently trading for the 2024 sixth-round pick. The Cowboys could reinforce their depth chart, solidify their future at the position and pick up more draft capital by trading down from No. 12 overall and picking up Milroe later in the first round.

Milroe might just provide the spark Dallas has long been seeking. He’s a dynamic playmaker who can use his legs to both create separation from the rush and pick up yardage with ease.

Although Milroe still must improve on his passing ability to become a reliable NFL quarterback, his athleticism and rushing skills would be a major boon behind a Cowboys offensive line that was average at best last year and is set to take a step back following the retirement of perennial All-Pro Zack Martin.

No. 2: New York Giants

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The New York Giants are coming off one of the worst seasons in franchise history. Despite that, an ownership group anxious to start winning again opted to keep general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll in place with a mandate to turn things around in 2025.

That isn’t going to be easy, especially since their quarterback room currently consists of an aging Russell Wilson, Jameis Winston in the journeyman stage of his career and fan favorite but flawed Tommy DeVito.

The G-Men do hold the No. 3 overall pick and may have a chance at nabbing either Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders in that slot. However, they seem more likely to go after a prospect who can make a more immediate impact in 2025 such as Travis Hunter. The B/R Scouting Department had Big Blue taking the the Heisman-winning CB/WR in its latest mock draft.

Fortunately, the Giants could use that early pick on a standout prospect like Hunter—who ranks atop the B/R Scouting Department’s big board—and still potentially land their future quarterback on Day 1.

Armed with eight picks this year and plenty of future selections, Schoen has plenty of ways to make deals if he wants to work the phones and get back into the first round to nab Milroe.

Milroe may not be the answer to New York’s current woes, but the Crimson Tide product has real potential to become the organization’s starter sooner than later.

Even if the Giants do to get back into contention with Wilson or Winston, they are both only signed to short-term deals and are on the wrong side of 30. Milroe could be a natural successor to either one in 2026.

And if New York’s new veterans struggle in the first half of the campaign, Milroe could get some run as the current regime tries to hitch its future to the long-term development of the young passer.

No. 1: Los Angeles Rams

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The Los Angeles Rams mortgaged their future for a championship four years ago, betting big on Matthew Stafford in a costly trade for the veteran quarterback. Their risky gamble paid off with a Super Bowl LVI victory, but the Rams have struggled to climb back up the mountaintop in the years since.

While the Rams have gone 10-7 in each of the last two campaigns, last season was the first time since their Super Bowl run that they won a playoff game. They beat the Minnesota Vikings in the Wild Card Round before falling short to the eventual champion Philadelphia Eagles in the divisional round.

The Rams are running it back again in 2025 with their aging signal-caller, but it likely won’t be long before Stafford regresses or retires. With no heir apparent in place, they could opt to secure their future by using the No. 26 overall pick on Milroe.

Milroe represents a far different type of passer than the Rams have been accustomed to. B/R Scout Dame Parson described the Alabama product as the “most physically gifted quarterback prospect in the draft class” and “one of the most explosive athletes at any position in college football.”

While Milroe has utilized those unique talents to put up 1,257 yards and 32 touchdowns on the ground over the last two seasons, he’s still coming into his own as a thrower. He amassed 5,678 yards and 39 scores through the air while completing 65 percent of his passes in that same span, but he did struggle with decision-making at times and was responsible for 17 interceptions.

Despite the clear differences from the pocket-bound and strong-armed Stafford, head coach Sean McVay should have little issue installing an offense tailored to Milroe’s strengths when he finally gets handed the keys. Parsons compared Milroe to “Jalen Hurts with a jet pack and stronger arm.” That type of talent could shine in a McVay scheme.