Pick 92: Jalen Milroe

[Trackhawk]

That only works if he can throw the football with accuracy, that's why Lamar Jackson is so lethal. Otherwise you stack the box and you're not running against eight in the box.

Right now Milroe struggles to throw the football, hence why he went in the third round. He won't see the field.

Jackson’s completion percentage in college was 57%

Milroe’s was 64.3

Josh Allen was 56.2%

 

[GemCity]

QB1 by ‘27

Muthafu$%ing BOOK IT!

*yikes*

 

[glenwo2]

Perfect world, Darnold balls out and the kid learns on the bench. And they throw Milroe in for 7 or so plays a game. Way too much talent to leave him on the bench, esp. his running ability. Good luck tackling that guy in the open field.

Give me that perfect world and inject it into my veins.

That would make this Hawks team VERY deadly.

 

[glenwo2]

Who believes Darnold is leading us to a SB though?

Who believes Milroe is leading us to a SB though?

Let's pump the brakes here on all the Lamar Jackson fantasies here.

He's got the talent but he's still way too raw to even be a QB1 at this point, let alone heaping UNREALISTIC expectations on him like this.


And besides....who believed that someone like Trent Dilfer would be winning a SB with the Ravens back in the day?

And Trent had far less talent and ability than Sam Darnold.

So it's not out of the question that Darnold could do this.

He just needs another opportunity at the Playoffs and prove (#1) that he can win a playoff game...then proceed after that.

 

[glenwo2]

QB1 by ‘27

Muthafu$%ing BOOK IT!

*yikes*

Yep.

Darnold basically has two years (since I think he will be *decent*, at the very least, this season) to show the Hawks he can be the Man.

Otherwise, Milroe will be The Man.

It's that simple.

 

[Torc]

Everyone assumes that Darnold won't be on the field if Milroe is. I know Macdonald says he's a QB and that's how he'll be trained....but that doesn't mean that Kubiak can't design plays that have both of them in the game at the same time. There are all kinds of ways to get him the ball when Darnold is behind center. He doesn't even have to be the main focus of the play - all that matters is that the defense has to account for his abilities, and that will open up other things. It could be a lot like the read option that RW and Marshawn ran so effectively only with the added dimension of two QBs on the field.

 

[SoulfishHawk]

Good point, I'm def. not assuming it. In fact, I think they will almost always both be on the field at the same time. Whatever packages they put Milroe in for are likely more for his running ability, which is flat out elite.
While a bunch of people claimed Russ only won because of the running game, he lead the team in rushing yards one year. His legs, in his prime, were a huge weapon. And Milroe is a much better runner than most.

 

[Bear-Hawk]

If Sam gets injured, maybe Milroe will get his shot. Even a Caleb Williams had to take his limps as a rookie, but there’s no substitute for real game experience.

 

[Jac]

That only works if he can throw the football with accuracy, that's why Lamar Jackson is so lethal. Otherwise you stack the box and you're not running against eight in the box.

Right now Milroe struggles to throw the football, hence why he went in the third round. He won't see the field.

Milroe doesn't (in general) struggle to throw the ball. He's struggled with his intermediate consistency (and still managed a 65% completion rate). He can make all the throws, particularly downfield. If you give him an eight-man front, the defense is going to be vulnerable to a big play if he breaks through that first layer or he takes advantage of the 1-on-1 matchups downfield. Defending him in situational packages in Year #1 isn't going to be fun for the defense. He will see the field, and he will throw the ball some.

 

[gmor]

It's embarrassing that people are still trying to rationalize this "Al Davis Late-Stage Dementia Memorial Selection" special. As Davis never learned, it's not enough to be big and fast if you don't actually know how to play your position. Successful teams don't use gadget QBs for a reason. This would have been a bad, misguided pick in the sixth. Doing it in the late third was unfathomably stupid.

Within three years, when people ask "Hey, remember that time Schneider passed up an elite center for an awful skill position player who washed out of the league entirely?", the common response will be, "Wait, which time?"

If the OL doesn't improve at least we'll have someone capable of scrambling. Now that's some optimism for you.

 

[Seahawker]

Brock Huard has said that the good news is Milroe doesn't have an elongated throwing motion, he has a quick & tight stroke which is desirable.
It's probably more footwork, reps on timing & touch. He was one of the most accurate longball passers in college football last year.

A couple examples of elongated throwing motions would be Tim Tebow & Justin Fields. There are plenty of QB's with less than perfect mechanics that have been successful including, P. Rivers, E. Manning & P. Mahomes.