Jalen Milroe will not return to Alabama in 2025.
The Crimson Tide QB announced Thursday that he would declare for the NFL Draft. Milroe already earned his college degree and was a redshirt junior in 2024. He was able to return for another season of college football as he played in only four games as a freshman in 2021.
“To my teammates, my brothers, thank you for the blood, sweat and tears we have shared,” Milroe wrote. “The bonds we have built will last a lifetime. To Coach (Nick) Saban, thank you for believing in me and instilling in me the standard of excellence. To Coach (Kalen) DeBoer, thank you for challenging me and helping me become the player and leader I am today.”
The two-year starter will be an intriguing prospect for NFL teams. Milroe completed 205 of 319 passes for 2,844 yards and 16 TDs with 11 interceptions in 2024. He also rushed 168 times for 726 yards and 20 TDs. His time as Alabama’s quarterback will be known for his flashes of brilliance, especially running and throwing deep. But Milroe’s work could be like a roller coaster. He turned the ball over three times in four plays in the first half of Alabama’s ReliaQuest Bowl loss to Michigan on Tuesday.
Milroe won the starting quarterback job ahead of the 2023 season, but was benched for the team’s third game of the year against South Florida after he threw two interceptions in a Week 2 loss to Texas. Milroe regained his starting job in Week 4 against Ole Miss and responded by going 17-of-21 passing for 225 yards with a touchdown and an interception in Alabama’s victory. He kept the job for the rest of the season and finished sixth in Heisman voting with 39 total touchdowns as Alabama won the SEC and reached the College Football Playoff.
The Crimson Tide finished 9-4 in DeBoer’s first season after losing to Michigan. It was the first time Alabama had won fewer than 10 games since going 7-6 in Saban’s first season in 2007.