Jalen Milroe looks to another former Alabama star in Jalen Hurts for inspiration: ‘He’s leading the way for all of us’

INDIANAPOLIS — Jalen Milroe hasn’t been shy in talking about who his “true inspiration” has been in chasing a pro football career, and he took time to show love to another former Alabama quarterback during the NFL scouting combine.

The dual-threat quarterback, who finished with over 3,500 yards of offense and 36 total touchdowns (16 passing, 20 rushing) last season, is a polarizing prospect in this draft class. Milroe, a two-year starter with the Crimson Tide, struggled at times as a passer in 2024, increasing his interception percentage from 2.1% in 2023 to 3.4% last season, while his completion percentage dropped from 65.8% to 64.3%.

Still, his arm talent is undeniable and he’s an outstanding athlete and runner. Milroe ran for 32 touchdowns over the last two seasons and several scouts believe he has a chance to be the third quarterback taken in the draft behind Miami’s Cam Ward and Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders.

» READ MORE: Defensive line talent will be available for Eagles, Jihaad Campbell’s big week, and other scouting combine takeaways

Milroe was asked Friday at his podium session about what he can learn from Eagles quarterback and Super Bowl LIX MVP Jalen Hurts, whom he called his “big brother,” ahead of the Alabama-Michigan College Football Playoff matchup in 2023. Milroe says he frequently has phone calls with Hurts.

“I think the biggest thing I learned from J-Hurts is how he kept his head down, always continuing to work. He always elevated his game, never got complacent, and all you do is see great strides from him,” Milroe said. “And I’ve got to applaud him as a person, him as a human being, because he’s definitely inspiring for a lot of quarterbacks of my image and also a lot of quarterbacks around the country. So he’s leading the way for all of us and it’s definitely a path that we’re trying to pursue as quarterbacks and that’s the best thing that I love about him.”

An added layer to Milroe and Hurts’ relationship is sharing the same agency. Hurts’ agent, Nicole Lynn, works for Klutch Sports, and shortly after Milroe declared for the draft in January, he signed with the agency. Milroe hails from Katy, Texas, while Hurts is from Houston. In 2023, Hurts, who played three seasons at Alabama before transferring to Oklahoma for his senior year in 2019, called Milroe “a very special player” before adding: “He’s a Texas kid. And he’s just continued to grow and grow and grow and it’s been really, really nice to watch.”

After a shaky Senior Bowl week, Milroe bounced back in a big way during Saturday’s combine session that featured quarterbacks, running backs, and wide receivers, showing off his big arm and improved footwork. Milroe has been training with Jordan Palmer of QB Summit, who has tutored stars like Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, and Joe Burrow.

In addition to Hurts, Milroe was asked about Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, whom he’s drawn several comparisons to with his explosive running ability.

» READ MORE: Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe raves about Jalen Hurts, his ‘true inspiration’

“A lot of people can throw the ball, a lot of people can run, but not a lot of people can do both and that’s hard for a defense,” Milroe said.

“When it comes to game planning, you’re going to keep a defensive coordinator up at night. It’s all about not being one dimensional and it’s a lot of things that other people possess, but a lot of things that I can’t do as a player. … I’m excited for what’s ahead. Lamar Jackson, definitely a quarterback I like a lot and so I just know [my ability] is definitely a threat when it comes to playing against other people.”