The Seattle Seahawks could be an ideal landing spot for this highly touted quarterback prospect.
As predicted by Bleacher Report’s Brent Sobleski in his 2025 NFL Mock Draft, he projects the Seahawks to take Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Jalen Milroe with the seventh overall pick in next year’s draft. A major argument for Milroe landing in Seattle is the familiarity of the coaching staff, which features first-year offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb. Grubb coached with Crimson Tide head coach Kaleb DeBoer when both were members of the Washington Huskies coaching staff.
“The ties that bind are strong between the Seahawks coaching staff and Alabama,” writes Sobleski. “Seattle’s new offensive coordinator, Ryan Grubb, previously served in the same role with the Washington Huskies. Former Huskies head coach Kalen DeBoer is in his first year as the Crimson Tide’s head coach. Offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Nick Sheridan and co-offensive coordinator JaMarcus Shephard followed DeBoer from Seattle to Tuscaloosa.”
Why Jalen Milroe Could Emerge as a Top QB Prospect in 2025
While the links between the two coaching staffs are strong, it’s also worth mentioning how good of a talent Milroe is. The 21-year-old quarterback is coming off of a sensational campaign during his debut year as a starter for the Crimson Tide. Despite being benched at one point in time, Milroe bounced back to lead the Crimson Tide to a 1o-game win streak — including a win over the defending national champs, Georgia Bulldogs — and a College Football Playoff appearance.
Milroe threw 23 touchdowns against just six interceptions to go along with 12 rushing touchdowns during the 2023 season.
While Milroe may not have a lot of experience, his dual-threat abilities are among the very best in college football. Pro Football Network’s Ian Cummings mentions how his “hyper-elite athleticism” is something that teams can build around.
“At the very least, Milroe’s hyper-elite athleticism and creation capacity is something an offensive mind can build around, and some of his traits as a passer — arm talent, discretion, patience in the pocket, and toughness — suggest unrecognized potential,” writes Cummings. “His time with DeBoer in 2024 may prove to be key in unlocking his ultimate ceiling.”
DeBoer brought the absolute best out of Michael Penix Jr. while coaching the future first-round draft pick with the Huskies. Not only did the duo lead the team to a National Championship Game appearance last season, Penix was named a First-team All-American after leading the NCAA with 4,903 passing yards.
One should expect DeBoer to bring out even better numbers in Milroe now that he’s entering his second season as a starter.
Why Seahawks Could Move on From Geno Smith in 2025
The Seahawks will enter the 2024 season with Geno Smith as their starting quarterback. While Smith is coming off of back-to-back Pro Bowl seasons, he failed to lead Seattle to a playoff appearance last year and his numbers declined compared to his 2022 season. With a new coaching staff led by first-year head coach Mike Macdonald and offensive coordinator Grubb, Smith may not have much margin for error.
The Athletic’s Michael Shawn-Dugar actually mentions how Smith could replaced by a “younger” option next year if he doesn’t prove that he’s more than a “stopgap” option.
“He’ll need to prove it to this new coaching staff, though, because between age and price tag, something seemingly has to budge next season, meaning it’s likely Smith will either prove he’s more than a stopgap and be signed to a reworked deal, or he will be released in favor of someone like Sam Howell or another, younger option,” writes Shawn-Dugar.
If the Seahawks end up with a losing record and a high draft pick next season, Milroe could be Seattle’s next franchise quarterback.
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Seahawks Predicted to Add 35-TD QB With ‘Unrecognized Potential’