It’s no surprise the Pittsburgh Steelers are sending the house to Alabama. And they’re spending quality time with QB Jalen Milroe. As the team courts a 41-year-old Aaron Rodgers with an eye towards the present, they’re doing homework on the rookie class with an eye on the future. According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, head coach Mike Tomlin, general manager Omar Khan, and QBs Coach Tom Arth had a pre-Pro Day dinner with Milroe.
Former Alabama QB Jalen Milroe had dinner tonight in Tuscaloosa with #Steelers coach Mike Tomlin, GM Omar Khan and QBs coach Tom Arth ahead of his pro day, per source.
Pittsburgh, which continues to explore all options at the QB position, owns the No. 21 pick in April’s draft. pic.twitter.com/NSlHIcYakP
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 19, 2025
Typically, the Steelers’ Pro Day dinners involved several athletes so it’s possible Milroe isn’t the only prospect in attendance. But his name is the headliner.
Milroe is fighting to be at the top of the draft’s Tier 2 quarterbacks behind Miami (FL)’s Cam Ward and Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders.
One of the best athletes in the draft, Milroe put his legs to good use throughout college. Over his two years as the Crimson Tide’s starter, he rushed for 32 touchdowns including 20 in 2024, finishing second in the SEC. With a big arm and muscular build, he’s a true dual threat quarterback with similarities to Justin Fields, whom the team lost to the New York Jets.
But Milroe is raw as a passer. Accuracy is wildly inconsistent, an issue that proved true throughout the Senior Bowl. He also struggled to sustain the success Alabama maintained for years. The Crimson Tide finished 9-4 in 2024, failing to win ten games for the first time since 2007. That was Nick Saban’s first year on the year and Tomlin’s first season in Pittsburgh.
Milroe intelligent and winner of the William V. Campbell Award, better known as the academic Heisman. While Milroe has mechanical issues to clean up, the Steelers could feel confident in fixing him the way they improved Justin Fields’ footwork throughout their year together.
Our scouting report summed him up this way, earning a Fields comparison:
“Overall, Milroe is a physically gifted quarterback who will fit best in a vertical system. One that allows him to air the ball out downfield. But regarding the details and minutia of the position, he’s got a lot to work on. In that sense, he reminds me of a Jameis Winston. A gun-slinger type and likeable in the locker room but hard to trust over a long season.
But Milroe is obviously the much better athlete than the pocket-passer Winston. That pushes me to an admittedly easy comp of Justin Fields while I’m sure he’ll also get Jalen Hurts references as well.
This is someone I think the Steelers will really like and consider on Day 2 of the draft. I don’t think I’d support it, but it feels like he’s their chance of getting a do-over after passing on Jalen Hurts in 2020. However, Milroe would feel hat on hat if the Steelers bring back Fields this offseason.”
And gave him a fourth-round grade. Expectations are he could go higher with some mocks even placing him late in the first round. That would be rich for his value and for the Steelers but if Pittsburgh continues to wine and dine the top quarterbacks in the class like Milroe, odds will increase they’ll come away from next month’s draft with at least one new passer to slot onto their depth chart.
The Alabama Pro Day kicks off tomorrow. We’ll see who else from Pittsburgh made the trip down to Tuscaloosa.
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