The Las Vegas Raiders hold the No. 6 overall pick in the upcoming NFL Draft. That number might be too low to land the top quarterbacks, like Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders or Miami’s Cam Ward.
Another name in the mix is Jalen Milroe, who is projected as a Day 2 pick. The Alabama product has all the tools to be successful but didn’t have the best 2024 season, failing to lead the Crimson Tide to the College Football Playoff.
Jalen Milroe to Raiders: How Does That Sound? Analyst Max Chadwick Answers
NFL analyst Max Chadwick recently explained why the Raiders might have serious interest in Milroe, pointing to one major factor — his fit in Chip Kelly’s offensive system.
Kelly, who helped Ohio State win the national championship last season, was hired as the Raiders’ offensive coordinator. Kelly values quarterbacks who can run, which is where Milroe stands out compared to Sanders and Ward, who aren’t known for their rushing skills.
“There have been a lot of reports recently that the Raiders really like Jalen Milroe. He fits Chip Kelly’s offense,” Chadwick said on his podcast. “Obviously, Jalen Milroe is a very raw quarterback in a lot of areas, but I think it does make some sense for a Chip Kelly offense.
“I mean, listen, he coached Colin Kaepernick in San Francisco. He coached Dorian Thompson-Robinson at UCLA. He clearly values rushing ability in his quarterbacks.
“Even Will Howard this past year, who was a good but not great runner—Howard had the ninth-most designed carries among all Power Four quarterbacks this past year. So obviously, Chip Kelly values rushing ability in his quarterbacks.”
Jalen Milroe – Raiders QB of the future? pic.twitter.com/6z9J7kBw2u
— PFF (@PFF) March 3, 2025
What Does Jalen Milroe’s Draft Projection Look Like?
According to the NFL Mock Draft Database, Milroe is currently projected as a second-round pick, ranked 48th overall among draft prospects. However, his draft positioning is far from settled, with a best ranking of 10th overall and a 30.6% chance of being selected in the first round.
Fox Sports projects him going as high as sixth overall to the Raiders, while Pro Football Focus and The Draft Network also have him in the top 10, projected to the Jets (seventh) and Saints (ninth), respectively.
College Football Network has him at 18th overall to the Seahawks, while Walter Football ranks him slightly lower at 26th to the Rams.
Other analysts have Milroe going later in the first round, with the Palm Beach Post and Nashville Tennessean projecting him at 21st overall to the Steelers. Mass Live and For The Win predict he could go 31st overall to either the Saints or Steelers.