Raiders rumors: Las Vegas urged to draft Jalen Milroe after monster Alabama Pro Day

For the first two months following the conclusion of the 2024 NFL season, the Las Vegas Raiders were considered a threat to select one of the top two quarterbacks in the 2025 NFL Draft, whether that be trading up in order to pick Miami’s Cam Ward, or sitting tight and using the 6th overall pick to take Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders. However, that all changed when the Raiders struck a deal with the Seattle Seahawks to acquire Geno Smith for the price of

But the Geno Smith trade may not necessarily be a road block for the Raiders to select another quarterback in the later rounds of the NFL Draft. That includes Alabama QB Jalen Milroe, who despite an outrageously impressive pro day will still likely end up being a day two pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. There are many around the league who view the Raiders as a team who could select Milroe and stash the high-upside dual-threat quarterback away for a couple of years before handing the reigns over to him.

“The expectation in some NFL circles is that Milroe will be best served sitting and learning for at least one but possibly more seasons at the NFL level. Some have suggested he follow a path similar to Jalen Hurts,” writes Dan Schneier of CBS Sports. “However, as NFL offenses continue to evolve, there may be a coordinator or coach who installs a system to fit Milroe’s skill set.”

That coordinator could end up being newly hired Raiders offensive coordinator Chip Kelly, who has crafted offenses at both the college and pro level for talented dual-threat quarterbacks in the past. The arrival of Kelly is likely at least part of the reason why some draft analysts, including Chad Reuter of NFL.com, are starting to pencil Milroe in as the Raiders selection in the 3rd Round of this April’s draft.

Selecting Milroe in the 3rd Round could end up being an optimistic assessment of where the Raiders believe they could get Milroe. With Lamar Jackson being a common comparison for Milroe, it’s possible that a quarterback needy team will be willing to bet on Milroe’s physical traits even earlier than the 3rd Round.

DeVonta Smith names the 2 people who led him to choose Alabama

DeVonta Smith was a guest on the “7PM in Brooklyn” Podcast this week, and he discussed two factors he felt played major roles in his decision to play for Alabama football.

Smith was a talented wideout prospect out of Amite, Louisiana when he signed with the Crimson Tide. He had plenty of options to choose from before ultimately choosing Alabama

The Louisiana native revealed Jalen Hurts and the Tide’s former running back coach, Burton Burns, played significant roles in his decision.

“It was two reasons I went to Alabama,” Smith said.  “Jalen (Hurts) was one reason, and coach (Burton) Burns was the other reason. Every time I went up there, I was with Jalen. At that time, that’s all I knew, Jalen…So just being there, I was comfortable with him, knowing that, okay, if I do go, he’s gonna be the quarterback. He’s somebody I can relate to, somebody I have a relationship with. So I was like, okay, I’m cool there. And then it was just like, end of the day, it’s football. We two guys had the same mindset. We’re here to dominate, we here to play football. We not with all the extra stuff. And I think that’s why the relationship was so good. And the conversations that we have, whether it’s, you know, uncomfortable conversations nobody getting in their feelings because we have that relationship.”