Tag: Jalen Milroe

Arion Carter details Tennessee’s defensive ability to frustrate Jalen Milroe

Linebacker Arion Carter details Tennessee’s defensive ability to frustrate quarterback Jalen Milroe.

Sophomore Arion Carter started at linebacker in Tennessee’s, 24-17, win versus Alabama on Saturday at Neyland Stadium.

The 6-foot-1, 234-pound linebacker recorded six tackles and one quarterback pressure against Alabama. Carter met with media and discussed the Vols’ defensive ability to frustrate Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe.

“We know he is a great quarterback,” Carter said. “He quarterbacks the offense at a tremendous level. We knew they started with him and we knew we had to be able to disrupt the passer to be able to go in and get him off the field on third down.”

Milroe completed 25-of-45 passing attempts for 239 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. He also recorded 11 rushing yards on 14 attempts.

Alabama was 3-of-14 on third down attempts against the Vols on Saturday.

PHOTOS: Tennessee fans storm the field after beating Alabama

Photo by Dan Harralson, Vols Wire

5 takeaways from Alabama’s brutal 24-17 loss to rival Tennessee

Here are the takeaways from Alabama’s brutal 24-17 loss to Tennessee on Saturday.

The Tennessee Volunteers defeated the Alabama Crimson Tide, 24-17, on Saturday at Neyland Stadium to hand coach Kalen DeBoer’s team their second loss of the season.

Alabama dropped to 5-2 overall and just 2-2 in SEC play, while Tennessee improved to 6-1 (3-1 in the SEC).

Here are five takeaways from an ugly afternoon in Knoxville.

The numbers don’t lie

Tennessee outgained Alabama in total offense by over 100 yards; the Vols had 408 yards to the Tide’s 303. Included in that was a glaring 214-64 edge in rushing yards. On third downs, Alabama was 3-of-14 compared to Tennessee’s 7-of-15. Defensively, the Vols’ had nine tackles for loss (-37 yards) to Alabama’s four (-18 yards).

When you look at those numbers, the game wasn’t as close as it was on the scoreboard. That’s a much bigger issue for Alabama.

Tide can’t capitalize on Tennessee mistakes

Tennessee turned the ball over three times against Alabama. Quarterback Nico Iamaleava and backup Gaston Moore threw interceptions in Alabama territory, and Malachi Moore forced a Dylan Sampson fumble at the Crimson Tide 18-yard line on Tennessee’s first possession.

Alabama didn’t take advantage, eventually stalling and punting the ball back to Tennessee after the Sampson fumble. They went three and out after Gaston Moore’s interception when Iamaleava had briefly left the game, and again went three and out after he returned and was picked off by Jaylen Mbakwe.

Tennessee missed a 50-yard field goal try with 4:06 to play in the opening half, only for Alabama to attempt a 54-yard field goal try from Graham Nicholson that was no good.

Alabama remains an undisciplined football team

Penalties, penalties, and more penalties. It was a recurring theme in Saturday’s loss, the second in three years to the Vols. Alabama was flagged 15 times for 115 yards. The most egregious of those came when Kendrick Law lost his cool and was flagged for shoving Tennessee defensive back Boo Carter just after the two-minute timeout in the fourth quarter. The personal foul on Law turned a 4th-and-7 play into 4th and 22.

By all accounts, it was an ugly, sloppy game from both teams. Tennessee was flagged 11 times for 95 yards. But the Vols left more points off the scoreboard than Alabama did, and a more disciplined team than Tennessee wouldn’t have needed an interception on the final drive to seal the game.

Jalen Milroe is regressing

It pains me to say this because he’s been one of my favorite players since stepping on to the field in place of Bryce Young in 2022 against Texas A&M and leading the Tide to victory on that early October night at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

But against Tennessee, Milroe seemed more like that 2022 or early 2023 version of himself than the quarterback who went on to lead Alabama to the College Football Playoff and an SEC Championship Game win over Georgia.

With Alabama facing 2nd and goal from the 3-yard line late in the first quarter, Milroe made a critical error when trying to hit Ryan Williams that resulted in an easy interception by Jermod McCoy. Milroe’s inconsistencies stayed with him throughout the afternoon, and when he missed a wide-open Williams late in the fourth quarter for a potential big gain, the outcome felt inevitable.

Alabama is not a playoff team

This shouldn’t even need to be said. But we’re seven games into the 2024 season. When you’ve played over half your schedule, you are what your body of work says you are. In this case, it’s a wildly inconsistent, undisciplined football team that’s shown flashes of greatness but hasn’t performed to a standard from game to game.

I’m not sure where Alabama goes from here, but it won’t be the College Football Playoff. And given Alabama’s brutal schedule this year, including the Missouri Tigers next Saturday in Tuscaloosa, I’m not sure there’s a game you can objectively circle as a win in SEC play.

ESPN ranks Alabama trio among Top 25 college football players at midseason

ESPN ranks three Alabama players among the nation’s best.

It is no secret that the Alabama Crimson Tide came into the college football season with a truly loaded roster that was headlined by some of the greatest players in the sport today.

Now at the midway point of the 2024 season as well, those same names have certainly lived up to the hype, with three in particular ranking among ESPN’s Top 25 nationally at midseason. Those names were quarterback Jalen Milroe, offensive guard Tyler Booker, and wide receiver Ryan Williams.

The highest-ranking of that trio was Williams, who went from unranked in the preseason all the way up to No. 9. So far this season, Williams has 23 receptions for 576 yards and a SEC-leading six touchdowns, while also leading the nation with 25 yards per catch as a true freshman.

Booker was the next ranked, coming in at No. 12 after a preseason ranking of No. 31. The veteran offensive lineman has been one of Alabama’s best up front this season, not allowing a sack while at left guard.

Lastly, Milroe rises two spots up to No. 20 from his preseason ranking of No. 22. The Alabama quarterback is currently completing 72.7% of his passes for 1,483 yards and a 12:4 TD:INT ratio, while also rushing for 319 yards and 11 touchdowns.

How Jalen Milroe has gone from darkhorse Heisman Trophy candidate to likely frontrunner

Jalen Milroe started catching a lot of attention after he finished the 2023 season hot enough to become a darkhorse Heisman Trophy candidate, but he’s much more than that now.

Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe started catching a lot of attention after he finished the 2023 season hot enough to become a dark horse Heisman Trophy candidate. Still, he’s much more than that now.

To say he picked up where he left off is an understatement, as Milroe has been dominant both through the air and on the ground this year, showing large improvement as a passer.

Projecting as a true dual-threat now, Milroe’s stat line to this point of the season is strongly indicative of just that. The Alabama signal-caller has completed 72.9% of his passes for 964 yards with 10 touchdowns and one interception through the air.

On the ground, Milroe totals 273 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on 52 carries.

His statement game came against then-No. 2-ranked Georgia last week in Tuscaloosa, as Milroe powered the way to what looked like would be a blowout before what would have been a legendary comeback from Georgia ensued, falling just short on the Bulldogs’ end.

Milroe connected on some 81.8% of his passing attempts, throwing for 374 yards, two touchdowns and one interception in the 41-34 Alabama victory. He also rushed for 79 yards and two touchdowns on 10 carries.

He looks like a truly complete quarterback in a way few others are rivaling so far in the upcoming draft class. Head coach Kalen DeBoer recently spoke to Milroe’s progress and made him this good.

“He’s got the tools. He can spin it. He’s an accurate passer. He works hard. He’s got a lot of those tangibles, intangibles,” DeBoer said of Milroe. “But I think what he’s doing a good job of is just staying disciplined to what we’re asking him to do. Not trying to go above and beyond, when we say, ‘You need to read this or go through this progression,’ he’s done a really good job. I think that’s one area where I’ve seen him improve. I’ve told him that.

“His eyes are in the right spot 99% of the time, and that gets you going down the right path. Now, it’s just a matter of letting the tools that you have, that talent that you have, take over. He’s staying within himself, and he’s trusting the guys around him. The offensive line has done a good job, and I think he’s feeling comfortable in the pocket.”

There’s still room for improvement, though, the way DeBoer sees it.

“Doesn’t mean it’s perfect. There are some times he had to make some throws and stuff real quickly on Saturday, but that trust around you helps bring out the best in you, as well.”

The road to Milroe becoming a strong first-round draft pick will continue as Alabama faces the Vanderbilt Commodores at 3:15 p.m. ET on Saturday in Nashville, Tennessee.

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Where Georgia QB Carson Beck’s 2025 NFL Draft stock stands ahead of Week 6

Carson Beck’s 2025 NFL Draft stock shouldn’t take a huge hit, even following the disappointing loss to Alabama.

Carson Beck and the Georgia Bulldogs suffered their first loss of the season on Saturday when they fell 41-34 to the Alabama Crimson Tide on the road.

The performance marked the worst this season so far for Beck, who came into the year largely considered to be the best quarterback, and perhaps even the best prospect, in the nation.

Despite the three interceptions, though, Beck actually finished out with an otherwise admirable stat line, completing 27 of his 50 passing attempts fort 439 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions.

He impressed particularly with the way he was able to help the offense pick things back up after trailing 30-7 at the half.

If anything, that might have been what caught the attention of scouts more than some of the ill-advised decisions he did make.

“What he did from first half to second half was really impressive because with what happened to him in the first half, there’s not many people that can overcome that,” an NFL scouting source told CBS Sports in a recent report from the network. “It’s hard. He looked much looser in the second half. He gave his players a chance to make plays. So if anything, he helped himself because you’re going to make mistakes in the NFL.

“You’re going to have a bad quarter. You’re going to have a bad half. But are you going to let it turn into a bad game? The snowball effect can’t happen at quarterback. It’s got to be stopped at some point. He did a good job of that. He nipped it in the bud and turned things around.”

One question that now remains is as to whether or not Beck’s draft stock should take a large plunge from top dog after a performance that featured some of the mistakes that this one did, and in reality, it’s way too early to tell.

For now, there’s still plenty to like about Beck’s performance as a quarterback, what he brings to the table from a tangibles and an intangibles perspective, and the resiliency he’s shown.

The rest of the season will tell the story of whether Alabama may truly be the best team in the nation, making it the toughest opponent for all of CFB to go up against, and if those interceptions said more about Beck or the Alabama defense that has shown improvement in its secondary in a big way here.

Beck’s road to the draft will continue Saturday as the team faces the visiting Auburn Tigers in Sanford Stadium at 3:30 p.m. ET.

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Could Jalen Milroe be drafted to replace another former Alabama QB?

Alabama QB Jalen Milroe is working his way up draft boards, and one team could pick him as early as No. 2!

Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Jalen Milroe has come a long way since his Week 3 benching in the 2023 season. Since then, he has significantly improved in all facets of his game, led the team to an SEC Championship win, a College Football Playoff berth and has now propelled the Tide to the No. 1 spot in the latest AP Poll Top-25.

Following Alabama’s exciting win over the Georgia Bulldogs, which featured a stellar performance from Milroe, draft experts are now projecting the Crimson Tide quarterback to be a top-10 pick.

In the latest 2025 NFL mock draft by Pro Football Focus’s Trevor Sikkema, Milroe is projected to be the second overall pick by the Miami Dolphins. Not only is this a significant jump for Milroe to be projected that high, but it means the Dolphins could be looking to replace another former Alabama quarterback, Tua Tagovailoa.

While the Dolphins have expressed their commitment to Tagovailoa, especially after giving him a hefty contract extension, the public tends to believe that the front office could look for a replacement, or at least a viable backup. In Week 2, Tagovailoa suffered another scary head injury that resulted in him going into concussion protocol and being placed on IR.

Though we are still months away from draft season, it’s always interesting to see where star players are projected to land, as it’s impacted by how they perform throughout the college football season and how each team performs throughout the NFL season.

College Sports Wire will continue to cover all things college football and the 2025 NFL draft as the season progresses.

PFF projects Alabama’s Jalen Milroe to be the first QB taken in the 2025 NFL draft

Alabama’s Jalen Milroe currently being projected to be the No. 2 overall pick in 2025 NFL draft.

Even though the Alabama Crimson Tide entered the season as a top-five team, many people didn’t believe that Kalen DeBoer was ready for the challenge of the SEC. Shoot, I remember seeing a lot of pre-season Playoff projections that didn’t include the Tide.

After a 4-0 start to the season with a win over Kirby Smart and the No. 2 ranked Georgia Bulldogs, the reality is setting in, the dynasty is far from over. QB Jalen Milroe is playing as well as anyone in the country right now and is the betting favorite to win the Heisman Trophy. The offensive line has also performed elite as a unit allowing zero sacks against a nasty front seven of UGA.

As things currently stand, Pro Football Focus projects two members of the Tide to be first-round picks in the 2025 NFL draft. PFF thinks that Milroe will be the first QB selected, going No. 2 overall to the Miami Dolphins saying,

“Milroe is having a fantastic season, highlighted by a massive win against Georgia, where he earned an 89.5 passing grade. He also posted an impressive 74.2 passing grade under pressure in the contest, significantly improving on one of his struggles last season. So far, he has a 4.2% big-time throw percentage and just a 0.9% turnover-worthy play percentage. Combine that with his dual-threat rushing ability, and he has the potential to be a QB1-caliber player.”

Alongside Milroe, the Houston Texans are also expected to take a member of the Alabama offense in the first round in OG Tyler Booker. Booker was first-team All-SEC in 2023 and is off to an even better start in 2024 with PFF expecting the Texans to take him No. 29 overall saying,

“The Texans don’t have many glaring holes on their roster through the first few weeks of the 2024 season, but guard looks like it could become a long-term concern. Kenyon Green is struggling, having earned a 43.9 pass-blocking grade this season, and Shaq Mason will turn 32 next year. Booker has been one of the top guards in the 2025 class, though his grades are slightly lower this season after spending time at left tackle.”

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Sam Murphy on Twitter @SamMurphy02.

Alabama’s Jalen Milroe could be QB1 in the 2025 NFL draft per ESPN experts

ESPN’s Mel Kiper argues that Jalen Milroe should be the first QB selected in the 2025 NFL draft.

A little over a year ago, Alabama QB Jalen Milroe was benched by head coach Nick Saban after a disastrous home loss to the Texas Longhorns in Week 2. It took an ugly win against the G5 USF Bulls in his absence the following week for the team to rally around Milroe.

Here we are a year later, and Milroe is the leading contender in the race for the Heisman Trophy and the head of one of the most prolific offenses in the country. Good things tend to happen for Alabama quarterbacks when they are resilient, especially if your name is Jalen. It’s a good reminder to all of us that if you really want something in life, your only option is to put your head down and go to work.

Milroe’s speed and athleticism have always been well-documented, but it’s his growth as a passer that has made him a viable top-ten pick option. He is coming off his best collegiate game where he completed 81.2% of his passes, totaled 491 yards of offense by himself and added four touchdowns. The last QB to give a Kirby Smart-led defense these kinds of problems was Bryce Young.

As a result of the Tide’s impressive win, many NFL draft experts think that Milroe has a chance to be the top QB taken next Spring. ESPN’s Mel Kiper thinks that Milroe is vying for QB1 against guys like Carson Beck, Cam Ward, Shedur Sanders and Quinn Ewers.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Sam Murphy on Twitter @SamMurphy02.

ESPN’s NFL Live crew argues Jalen Milroe should be QB1 in 2025 NFL draft

Former NY Jets HC Rex Ryan makes the case that Jalen Milroe should be the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL draft.

There is no better match-up in college football over the past five years than the Alabama Crimson Tide vs. the Georgia Bulldogs. The two squads have met five times since the start of the 2020 season with two coming for SEC Championships and one for a national title. They’ve combined to win the past four SEC titles and three of the last four national titles.

Saturday night in Tuscaloosa didn’t disappoint as the Dawgs roared back from a 28-0 first-half deficit before Bama true freshman WR Ryan Williams made the play of the game, and arguably the season on a 75-yard TD to give Alabama a seven-point fourth quarter lead. True freshman CB Zabien Brown picked off Carson Beck in the endzone in the last minute to close out the game and give the Tide a 41-34 victory.

The player of the game was Alabama QB Jalen Milroe who stamped himself as the Heisman Trophy favorite after another sensational performance. Milroe was 27/33 passing for 374 yards, two touchdowns and a pick. However, the pick wasn’t truly as his fault as his receiver bobbled it up into the air for UGA defenders to grab. He also carried the ball 16 times for 117 yards and two touchdowns.

Milroe’s success through the air against a Kirby Smart and Glenn Schumann coached defense can not be understated. Now, many people are talking about Milroe as if he will be a first round pick in the 2025 NFL draft. Even former New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan argues that Milroe could be the No. 1 overall selection.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Sam Murphy on Twitter @SamMurphy02.

Jalen Milroe draft stock rises with Alabama’s win over Georgia

Alabama QB Jalen Milroe had an outstanding game in the win over Georgia that will only help his 2025 NFL Draft stock

Jalen Milroe had one of the best nights of any college players on the biggest stage of the college football weekend. The Alabama quarterback’s performance in the Crimson Tide’s 41-34 win over rival Georgia in a battle of top-5 teams served as a nice booster for Milroe’s 2025 NFL Draft stock.

One game is but a single snapshot in a series of moving pictures that comprises a draft evaluation, but Alabama versus Georgia is a very prominent picture. Georgia’s defense is loaded with future NFL players and they’re generally well-coordinated.

On Saturday night, Milroe made Georgia look like a MAC team for most of the night. The 6-foot-2 junior completed 27 of his 33 passes, netting 374 yards and two touchdowns. He did throw an interception, one that went through both hands of his target before getting picked off by Georgia.

The numbers are nice, but it’s the way in which Milroe accrued them that is so appealing from an NFL point of view. Milroe was in complete control of the pre-snap reads and consistently made the best decision with the ball. His downfield accuracy was sharp, giving freshman sensation Ryan Williams opportunities to create (spectacularly!) after the catch.

His legs also looked outstanding. Milroe has typically been more of an opportunistic runner than a huge designed-run threat. Beating Malaki Starks, who should be a top-10 overall prospect at safety, to the edge on a run and then tightroping the sideline for a touchdown is not something entirely expected from Milroe. His acceleration was very impressive and caught the Bulldogs defense chasing air.

Milroe had a much better night than his Georgia counterpart, Carson Beck. It’s been that way pretty much all season, both in terms of collegiate performance and NFL traits. Expect to see some adjusting in the QB rankings from a lot of pundits elevating Milroe up.