The Las Vegas Raiders are unquestionably targeting a quarterback in 2025.
Much of the hype surrounding this year’s quarterback class has gone to Miami’s Cameron Ward and Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders. Naturally, both of these top prospects have been linked to the Raiders numerous times throughout the season. Ward is enjoying a Heisman-caliber season and has a skillset that will translate well to the NFL, while Sanders’ messages of “Thank you GOD” during Raiders losses has convinced social media of his preferred destination. While either would be an excellent choice for the Raiders, there is still enough time left in the season to explore alternate gameplans.
Unfortunately for the Raiders, one of those contingency plans may have pushed themselves off of the table.
On Saturday, the Alabama Crimson Tide suffered an upset 24-3 loss to the Oklahoma Sooners, all but ending their College Football Playoff ambitions. While many mistakes were present in the loss, chief among them was the poor play of quarterback Jalen Milroe. Milroe threw three interceptions for the first time in his college career against the Sooners, as well as making several poor reads that kept the Alabama offense from finding any sort of momentum.
While the quarterback class this year has been up-and-down outside of Ward and Sanders, Milroe’s consistency has been arguably the most questioned. It has now reached the point where, despite widely being considered the third-best quarterback in the class, experts are saying Milroe should return to Tuscaloosa in 2025 for his redshirt senior year.
“There’s much more wrong with Alabama than just Jalen Milroe being uncomfortable, but it’s becoming clear that Milroe has not taken to [Alabama head coach] Kalen DeBoer’s scheme,” said Ian Valentino of the 33rd Team. “Milroe is a premier athlete who will garner top-10 consideration regardless of some of his stats, and it’s possible he has a Josh Allen-esque ascension if he’s given time and great coaching. However, it’s fair to wonder if he’s best off going back to Alabama and soaking in DeBoer’s teachings.”
There is no denying that Milroe is one of the nation’s best athletes, regardless of position, and his big-play ability has been apparent throughout his college career. That said, several games this year have highlighted the flaws in his game. In games against South Carolina and Tennessee, Milroe had moments where he looked uncomfortable under center, and those moments will be feasted on at the NFL level.
Even if Milroe does decide to declare for the NFL Draft and the Raiders like him enough to select him, it comes with the caveat that he is not as NFL-ready as Ward or Sanders. If that is the route the Raiders ultimately take, they would need to select a free agent to start until Milroe is ready. Will the Raiders and their fans have the necessary patience to make such a scenario work?
Ultimately, the decision on whether to go pro or stay at Alabama is Milroe’s and his alone. After the disaster against Oklahoma, however, the latter is a realistic possibility that the Raiders must prepare for.
