He operates in a rare bracket among NFL quarterbacks, possessing physical talents few others at the position can match, but Baltimore Ravens star Lamar Jackson may not have that distinction all to himself after the 2025 NFL draft.
At least not according to a rival of the Ravens, Andrew Berry, general manager of the Cleveland Browns. Berry spoke with reporters on Thursday, April 17 and named the draft QB who could surpass Jackson.
Alabama’s Jalen Milroe has “got rare physical talent,” according to Berry. Milroe “may be the only, when he gets in the NFL, he may be the only quarterback who’s faster than Lamar. Don’t tell Lamar I said that, please.”
Berry’s take was light-hearted, but there’s some truth to his remarks. Not only for what Milroe could be in the pros, but also for how Jackson has matured as a quarterback since he entered the league back in 2018.
Jalen Milroe Viewed Same Way as Lamar Jackson
The Ravens took the gamble on Jackson when they drafted him 31st overall seven years ago, but many other teams had a distorted view of his potential. Some evaluators even viewed Jackson’s best fit in the NFL as a wide receiver.
Doubts about Jackson stemmed from the role his running ability played in his game. It was an emphasis when he starred for Louisville in college and when Jackson rushed for 1,206 yards en route to becoming winning his first NFL MVP award in 2019.
Another 1,000-yard season on the ground followed a year later, but Jackson has faced an uphill struggle to convince many to take him seriously as a passer. It’s the same challenge faced by Milroe.
The 22-year-old is viewed by some, including Jordan Dajani of CBS Sports, as “an intriguing running back.” Even former Alabama offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien told Milroe he “shouldn’t play quarterback,” per Chris McCulley of ABC 33/40 News.
Yet, Milroe isn’t interested in switching positions, telling Pro Football Talk at last season’s Super Bowl, “you never ask a zebra to be a dog.”
Milroe can prove his doubters wrong by refining and progressing his game as a passer the way Jackson has done. There’s another lesson from Baltimore’s QB1, who turned a negative into a positive.
Ravens QB1 Turned Negative Into a Positive
His skill as a runner has detracted somewhat from appreciation of Jackson’s arm talent, but mobility is also still a big part of what makes No. 8 successful. Even in the 2024 season, his best year as a passer, Jackson still rushed for 915 yards.
He’s the ultimate dual-threat playmaker who has helped redefine expectations for pro quarterbacks. Post-Jackson, fleet-footed acts of escapology, throwing successfully on the run and staying accurate off-platform are minimum requirements for NFL starters.
Even so, not everybody can do what Jackson does. Like when the 28-year-old sprinted through the Houston Texans to score this touchdown on Christmas Day.
Milroe may try to tread the same path once he’s drafted, but like Jackson, he’ll only be able to silence the doubters by winning a championship. That’s eluded Jackson so far, but his best bet to end the drought will remain playing his particular game.
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