For the first time in a long time, Alabama is not a pillar of stability in the college football world. Nick Saban has moved on, and with his exit, so too did plenty of key players from Alabama’s roster.
Still, Tuscaloosa is always going to be a hotbed for pro football talent, and new head coach Kalen DeBoer may not be Saban — because, simply put, nobody else could be — but he’s a great recruiter and talent-developer in his own right.
Here are the top three Alabama prospects to watch ahead of the NFL Draft, which begins April 24, 2025:
Jalen Milroe | Quarterback
Bleacher Report NFL Scouts Brent Sobleski and Matt Holder on Milroe: “Makes plays with his legs and big arm”
Prospect ranking: PFF (No. 39), Tankathon (No. 34), Pro Football Network (No. 85)
In the 2023 season, Milroe took some major in-season strides from a home loss to Texas and an in-game benching against South Florida to signature wins over Auburn and Georgia and an oh-so-close bid for a spot in the national championship game. With another year under Saban, he may have been a first-round shoo-in, but will DeBoer be able to coax him towards the same type of progression?
Of course, only time will tell, and draft analysts are split on Milroe. There’s good reason for it, too — even without a truly elite Alabama receiving room like ones we’ve seen recently, Milroe was one of the most effective deep-ball passers in the country last year and brings game-breaking ability with his legs, but shows a lack of polish in the short and intermediate passing game.
If he’s able to keep the ship steady with Saban gone, however, it’s nearly impossible to say how high he could go. As the saying goes, you can’t overdraft a true franchise quarterback, and all it takes is one team to take a shot on his undeniable talent and tools.