Sports

Could Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe go in the first round of the NFL draft?

Published

9 months ago

April 24, 2025

Could Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe go in the first round of the NFL draft?

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Could there be a stunner brewing at the NFL draft?

It’s widely expected that University of Miami quarterback Cam Ward will be the first overall selection Thursday night by the Tennessee Titans.

But the real mystery lies in what happens next, and whether Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders doesn’t have to wait too long to hear his name called or if he’ll be waiting around for a team to pick him. Either way, he won’t in the green room. The son of Hall of Fame defensive back Deion Sanders declined an invitation to attend the draft, as did Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart, whose name has been floating around lately as a potential first-round pick.

Here’s the potential stunner: Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe could blow up mock drafts everywhere and go in the opening round.

Analyst Rick Neuheisel, a former head coach in college and NFL offensive coordinator, believes the ultra-mobile Milroe will be drafted by someone in the first round, potentially the Pittsburgh Steelers at No. 21 or maybe even the Rams at 26 as an eventual replacement for 37-year-old Matthew Stafford.

“There is going to be an intrigue factor with Jalen Milroe,” Neuheisel said. “He ran 4.4, ran for a bunch of yards and had an unbelievable game against LSU. Single-handedly put Alabama on his shoulders.”

In a 2023 game, Milroe rushed for 155 yards and threw for 219 in a 42-28 victory over Louisiana State.

Meanwhile, Neuheisel thinks there’s a possibility the polarizing Sanders, who skipped throwing drills at the scouting combine, could tumble down the board a bit.

“I think the league thinks he needs to be humbled,” Neuheisel said. “I think they’re sitting there going, ‘I can’t coach him. And if he goes in the second round, maybe he’ll get it.’ ”

As for Dart, who began his college career at USC, Neuheisel wonders about his consistency in pressure situations.

“I really liked him when he was at USC,” he said. “It bothers me that [Ole Miss] lost to Kentucky [last season] having a chance to go down and win the game — they didn’t get it done.”

Neuheisel also pointed to Mississippi’s 24-17 loss to Florida last season when Dart had a pair of interceptions down the stretch.

Milroe, who is attending the draft, is the latest in a string of recent Alabama quarterbacks highly coveted by NFL teams. Jalen Hurts, coming off a Super Bowl MVP performance for Philadelphia, was drafted by the Eagles in the second round in 2020. That same year, Tua Tagovailoa was picked fifth overall by Miami. In 2021, Mac Jones went 15th to New England.

“I played at Alabama,” said Milroe, who will be attending the draft. “There’s something special about leading that script and understanding the history behind it.”

He does not appear in many mock drafts as a first-round pick.

“All I want to do is show what right looks like,” he said, “as a player and as a person.”

Neuheisel said Milroe’s ability to make plays with his feet, while remaining a threat to throw, is reminiscent of what Hurts did for the Eagles last season during Philadelphia’s championship run. That quarterback, along with superb running back Saquon Barkley, forced opponents to commit an extra defender to stop the run, therefore making themselves more vulnerable to the pass.

“It doesn’t make total sense for the Steelers given the fact that they let [quarterback] Justin Fields go, and he did that a little bit,” Neuheisel said of the Steelers, who have quarterbacks Mason Rudolph and Skylar Thompson on their roster. “But maybe Milroe has a better personality for it.”

He can envision either Cleveland, which has the No. 2 pick, or the New York Giants, who pick third, taking other players with those first selections then trading back into the end of the first round to draft a quarterback.

Milroe believes one of his strengths is he spent his entire college career at Alabama, whereas many top-notch quarterbacks bounce from school to school these days. Ward, for instance, played for three different programs, and Sanders and Dart are at two each.

But there are two ways of looking at that. Loyalty and continuity are important, yes, but so is the ability to adjust to different offenses, programs and locker rooms.

Joel Klatt, a draft analyst for NFL Network, said it’s important that Milroe showed he could be successful under two different Alabama coaches, Nick Saban and Kalen DeBoer.

“To me, I think that the NFL always looks at that in a positive light,” said Klatt, also lead college football analyst for Fox. “Can you master two different systems? Learn two different systems?

“Because if you’re just in one and you’re really good at it, people can look at that and say, `Well, can he do something different?’ Some of these offenses in college can be really quarterback-friendly, and they can build in wins for a quarterback that don’t need to be read post-snap.”

“The NFL likes it when players play in multiple offenses in college.”

Fellow NFL Network draft analyst Charles Davis said pro teams aren’t worried about a player’s history of transferring as long as that player has “shown an ability to adapt and grow.”

“Cam Ward went three places, thrived at every place he went,” Davis said. “Maturity. Change of location. Get along with new people. Adapt to new situations.”

Davis, who had covered the NFL for CBS but now is shifting to college football, said the value or detriment of switching schools is in the eye of the evaluator.

“I think the older the person evaluating, the more they like a guy who stays in one place,” he said. “That’s how we were raised — the loyalty aspect. Stay at one company, get a gold watch, you know, all those sorts of, ‘Oh, it showed loyalty to the school, the state. I like that.’ ”

College football and the perceptions surrounding it, he said, are in a state of flux.

“It’s like how long ago people were freaking out about guys opting out of bowl games? Yeah. No one’s worried about it anymore,” Davis said. “It’s just what we have now.”

Sports

Texans defense suffocates Aaron Rodgers, Steelers in playoff win

Published

18 minutes ago

January 13, 2026

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Texans defense suffocates Aaron Rodgers, Steelers in playoff win

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Crunch.

That was the sound of Houston Texans players colliding with Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers early in the fourth quarter of their Wild Card Round matchup, causing him to lose the ball. Texans defensive lineman Sheldon Rankins picked the ball up and ran it to the end zone for what felt like the knockout blow even though there was still a lot of time left to play.

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) loses possession of the ball while being tackled by Houston Texans defensive end Danielle Hunter (55) during the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Justin Berl)

It was that type of game for both teams – a defensive struggle – as Houston put together a 30-6 victory. It was the franchise’s first road playoff victory.

There were big hits and little room for error. Houston had a 7-6 lead at halftime thanks to a touchdown pass from C.J. Stroud to Christian Kirk.

Even as the Texans turned the ball over three times between the first half and the third quarter, the Steelers could only muster up three points. Houston’s defensive prowess was on display on each snap as Rodgers was left with little to no time to make a decision.

When he did have time to throw, wide receivers like DK Metcalf, Jonnu Smith and Calvin Austin III either dropped the ball or were just a hair off. Rodgers also had a few of his passes deflected.

Houston Texans wide receiver Christian Kirk (13) runs to the end zone for a touchdown while defended by Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Brandin Echols (26) during the first half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Justin Berl)

BEARS’ BEN JOHNSON POURS GASOLINE ON PACKERS RIVALRY: ‘I JUST DON’T LIKE THAT TEAM’

Steelers fans let the team hear it with plenty of boos. Pittsburgh extended its playoff losing streak to seven games.

Texans running back Woody Marks ran for 100 yards for the first time in his career and scored a touchdown to really seal the win. Texans defensive back Calen Bullock returned an interception for a touchdown late in the game.

Stroud finished 21-of-32 with 250 passing yards and the touchdown pass. The Texans’ defense sacked Rodgers four times. Rankins was good for 1.5 sacks.

The Steelers almost had no offense throughout the game. The team was held to 175 yards and outscored 23-0 in the fourth quarter.

Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud throws during the first half of NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

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Houston will take on the New England Patriots in the AFC Divisional Round.

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Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.

Sports

Luka Doncic scores 42 points, but poor defense dooms Lakers in loss to Kings

Published

1 hour ago

January 13, 2026

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Luka Doncic scores 42 points, but poor defense dooms Lakers in loss to Kings

SACRAMENTO — Lakers coach JJ Redick was asked before Monday’s game against the Sacramento Kings how he could ensure his players wouldn’t underestimate a nine-win team.

“We don’t look at any game as a walkover,” Redick said.

Then the Kings walked all over the Lakers, taking a 20-point lead in the third quarter before winning 124-112 at Golden 1 Center.

Luka Doncic did his best to keep the Lakers in the game, scoring 42 points and collecting eight assists and seven rebounds. But he scored just two points in the fourth quarter and looked slower after having his left thigh wrapped at the end of the third quarter.

The Lakers got to within seven points in the fourth, but the Kings pulled away. DeMar DeRozan scored 32 points and Russell Westbrook finished with 22 points and seven assists for the Kings (10-30), who shot 59% from the field (48-82) and made 17 three-pointers.

LeBron James, who scored 22 points, wore a patch on his jersey commemorating his unprecedented 23rd NBA season in the city where he played his first NBA game. It features a silhouette of his pregame chalk toss and three colored stripes that represents the three franchises he has played on — the Lakers, Cavaliers and Heat.

He will wear the patch for the remainder of the season. After each game, the patch will be removed from his jersey, dated and shipped to a Topps’ production facility to be authenticated and inserted into a pack of trading cards.

LeBron James wears a special patch on his jersey commemorating his unprecedented 23rd NBA season.

(Justine Willard / Associated Press)

The Lakers (23-14) looked strong from the onset when Deandre Ayton won the jump ball and eventually threw a lob pass to James for a 2-0 Lakers lead, a play that has become something the Lakers have used several times to start a game.

James hit his first four shots and the Lakers took an 8-2 lead before everything started to crumble.

They were behind 59-43 late in the second quarter. They couldn’t stop Malik Monk, who had 18 points off the bench on six-for-eight shooting, including five for six from three-point range. Monk finished with 26 points.

After the hot start, James finished the first half going five for 12 from the field for 12 points. He finished the game shooting eight for 17.

Lakers star LeBron James, right, drives against Sacramento Kings forward Precious Achiuwa.

The Lakers will play the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. When the Lakers played a back-to-back game last week, James sat out the second game. Will he do the same Tuesday?

“We’ll see how he feels in the morning,” Redick said.

Perhaps Rui Hachimura will make his return from right calf soreness. He was available to play Monday, but he sat out his seventh consecutive game.

Sports

LSU, Lane Kiffin set to land star quarterback in transfer portal: report

Published

12 hours ago

January 12, 2026

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LSU, Lane Kiffin set to land star quarterback in transfer portal: report

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LSU Tigers football is reportedly set to land a coveted transfer on Monday to start Lane Kiffin’s tenure as head coach.

Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt will likely transfer to the Tigers and play in Baton Rouge next season, ESPN reported. Leavitt is one of the top quarterbacks in the transfer portal and reportedly visited Miami and Kentucky en route to his decision.

ASU Sun Devils quarterback Sam Leavitt (10) scrambles away from Houston Cougars defensive lineman Eddie Walls III (90) at Mountain America Stadium in Tempe on Oct. 25, 2025. (Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier graduated following the 2025 season and Michael Van Buren transferred to South Florida upon Kiffin’s arrival at LSU from Ole Miss. LSU was reportedly also targeting Washington’s Desmond Williams Jr. before he chose to stay with the Huskies.

Leavitt initially transferred from Michigan State to Arizona State following his freshman season in 2023. He became a star under Kenny Dillingham’s tutelage and had the Sun Devils in the College Football Playoff in 2024, only losing to the Texas Longhorns by eight points in the first round.

He only played in seven games in 2025, throwing for 1,628 yards and 10 touchdowns before he suffered a foot injury that required season-ending surgery.

TOP QUARTERBACK IN TRANSFER PORTAL CHOOSES TO PLAY FOR OREGON

Arizona State Sun Devils quarterback Sam Leavitt (10) against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Mountain America Stadium on Oct. 18, 2025. (Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn Images)

Upon Leavitt’s decision to enter the transfer portal, Dillingham had warm words for him.

“Big 12 champ, put his name on the map, smart/talented player! Going to succeed wherever he goes,” Dillingham wrote on X in December.

LSU had high expectations for the 2025 season. But the team was only able to muster seven wins. The team fired Brian Kelly in the middle of the year.

LSU head coach Lane Kiffin, left, stands next to Louisiana State Tigers athletic director Verge Ausberry, right, prior to the game against the Houston Cougars at NRG Stadium on Dec. 27, 2025. (Maria Lysaker/Imagn Images)

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Kiffin joined LSU after Ole Miss won its Egg Bowl rivalry game against Mississippi State. The Rebels made the College Football Playoff and got to the semifinals.

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Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.