May 3—RENTON, Wash. — Jalen Milroe is not Russell Wilson.
He’s not trying to be. And the Seahawks don’t need that. Not yet.
On his first day at the rookie minicamp, Friday, Milroe showed highly acceptable skills in unchallenging circumstances (no contact, no pads).
The talents that make him such a promising offensive weapon aren’t obvious in those conditions.
He had no need to scramble and display his elite speed and elusivity with the ball in his hands — skills that will make him an intriguing spot-duty diversion as he develops into a fully equipped NFL quarterback.
But there was once on Friday when Milroe displayed qualities that might truly set him apart from other young quarterbacks entering the league.
After practice, at his first media appearance, Milroe spoke with such maturity and humility that it became clear what a natural leader he can be — even as a rookie.
It showed why he was a two-time team captain at Alabama, and how he gained such scholastic success that he was named winner of the Campbell Trophy, known as the academic Heisman.
He flashed an uncommon self-awareness for a 22-year-old who has enjoyed such high-profile visibility.
Part of a quarterback’s job is to “emphasize how much you love football and how much you care,” he said. “You’re trying to earn the respect and trust.”
The key word in that comment was “earn.”
Having a pair of military parents, he said, taught him “determination, grit, short- and long-term goals … I don’t believe in the word ‘self-made’, it takes a team to accomplish your goals.”
Milroe, at 6-2, 216, with outlandish 4.37 speed over 40 yards, was not a great collegiate quarterback last season, with 11 interceptions to go with 16 touchdown passes. But he did rush for 20 touchdowns, gaining 185 rushing yards on 12 carries with four touchdowns in a single game against LSU.
Against Georgia, he totaled nearly 500 yards and scored four TDs.
But he had three turnovers and was sacked five times in a ReliaQuest Bowl loss to Michigan. Against SEC opponents, he threw twice as many interceptions (10) as TDs (five).
That’s why he was available in the third round.
Since both were third-round draft pick quarterbacks for the Seattle Seahawks, the comparison to Wilson is inevitable.
Even as a rookie, Wilson proved that someone without the typical physical metrics could be effective. He eventually led the team to a pair of Super Bowls and be named to 10 Pro Bowls in his career.
Wilson took an estimated 500 snaps at the three-day camp in 2012, and only one time the offense had to abort a play and go back to the huddle because Wilson hadn’t been able to get everybody in position.
That immediate command of the scheme and his responsibilities was so impressive that coach Pete Carroll announced that Wilson had already shown enough to be in the competition as the starter.
Milroe has far more obvious physical gifts and athleticism than Wilson. But his most important gift is time. Currently slotted behind Sam Darnold and Drew Lock, Milroe will have the opportunity to ripen.
Friday, he showed good velocity with his passes, and also good touch, particularly on a deep crossing route at the end of which Elijah Arroyo made an in-stride finger-tip grab.
Arroyo, of Miami, is 6-5, 255, and has the size and smooth stride to offer immediate help as a pass-catching tight end. He later showed impressive catch-radius on a too-high pass over the middle from Milroe.
Milroe’s accuracy and timing have caused the most questioning by scouts. Friday, he seemed accurate enough, but sometimes imprecise. On one pass, delivered a little late and a bit behind, the ball was tipped up and intercepted.
Afterward, he talked of his work on improving his lower-body mechanics, because “everything for a quarterback is built from the ground up.”
That’s a good metaphor for Milroe in his early days with the Seahawks. Building from the ground up. He’s committed, first, to learning his job and being a good teammate.
“My goal, honestly, is to come in and be the best version of myself, to be better this day than the day before, and earn the trust and respect of everybody in the organization,” Milroe said.
Evidence is early and incomplete, but there’s a lot to like about the Seahawks’ 2025 draft class. From top to bottom, it’s probably more athletic and talented than any since that 2012 draft.
It will take time for Milroe to work into a more significant role, to transform his enormous potential into measurable production, but his impact as a leader and role model has already become obvious.
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RENTON, Wash. – Jalen Milroe is not Russell Wilson.
He’s not trying to be. And the Seahawks don’t need that. Not yet.
On his first day at the rookie minicamp, Friday, Milroe showed highly acceptable skills in unchallenging circumstances (no contact, no pads).
The talents that make him such a promising offensive weapon aren’t obvious in those conditions.
He had no need to scramble and display his elite speed and elusivity with the ball in his hands – skills that will make him an intriguing spot-duty diversion as he develops into a fully equipped NFL quarterback.
But there was once on Friday when Milroe displayed qualities that might truly set him apart from other young quarterbacks entering the league.
After practice, at his first media appearance, Milroe spoke with such maturity and humility that it became clear what a natural leader he can be – even as a rookie.
It showed why he was a two-time team captain at Alabama, and how he gained such scholastic success that he was named winner of the Campbell Trophy, known as the academic Heisman.
He flashed an uncommon self-awareness for a 22-year-old who has enjoyed such high-profile visibility.
Part of a quarterback’s job is to “emphasize how much you love football and how much you care,” he said. “You’re trying to earn the respect and trust.”
The key word in that comment was “earn.”
Having a pair of military parents, he said, taught him “determination, grit, short- and long-term goals … I don’t believe in the word ‘self-made’, it takes a team to accomplish your goals.”
Milroe, at 6-2, 216, with outlandish 4.37 speed over 40 yards, was not a great collegiate quarterback last season, with 11 interceptions to go with 16 touchdown passes. But he did rush for 20 touchdowns, gaining 185 rushing yards on 12 carries with four touchdowns in a single game against LSU.
Against Georgia, he totaled nearly 500 yards and scored four TDs.
But he had three turnovers and was sacked five times in a ReliaQuest Bowl loss to Michigan. Against SEC opponents, he threw twice as many interceptions (10) as TDs (five).
That’s why he was available in the third round.
Since both were third-round draft pick quarterbacks for the Seattle Seahawks, the comparison to Wilson is inevitable.
Even as a rookie, Wilson proved that someone without the typical physical metrics could be effective. He eventually led the team to a pair of Super Bowls and be named to 10 Pro Bowls in his career.
Wilson took an estimated 500 snaps at the three-day camp in 2012, and only one time the offense had to abort a play and go back to the huddle because Wilson hadn’t been able to get everybody in position.
That immediate command of the scheme and his responsibilities was so impressive that coach Pete Carroll announced that Wilson had already shown enough to be in the competition as the starter.
Milroe has far more obvious physical gifts and athleticism than Wilson. But his most important gift is time. Currently slotted behind Sam Darnold and Drew Lock, Milroe will have the opportunity to ripen.
Friday, he showed good velocity with his passes, and also good touch, particularly on a deep crossing route at the end of which Elijah Arroyo made an in-stride finger-tip grab.
Arroyo, of Miami, is 6-5, 255, and has the size and smooth stride to offer immediate help as a pass-catching tight end. He later showed impressive catch-radius on a too-high pass over the middle from Milroe.
Milroe’s accuracy and timing have caused the most questioning by scouts. Friday, he seemed accurate enough, but sometimes imprecise. On one pass, delivered a little late and a bit behind, the ball was tipped up and intercepted.
Afterward, he talked of his work on improving his lower-body mechanics, because “everything for a quarterback is built from the ground up.”
That’s a good metaphor for Milroe in his early days with the Seahawks. Building from the ground up. He’s committed, first, to learning his job and being a good teammate.
“My goal, honestly, is to come in and be the best version of myself, to be better this day than the day before, and earn the trust and respect of everybody in the organization,” Milroe said.
Evidence is early and incomplete, but there’s a lot to like about the Seahawks’ 2025 draft class. From top to bottom, it’s probably more athletic and talented than any since that 2012 draft.
It will take time for Milroe to work into a more significant role, to transform his enormous potential into measurable production, but his impact as a leader and role model has already become obvious.
