Kalen DeBoer is proving himself right. He may be Jalen Milroe‘s HC for just one season, but that was enough to show him what kind of guy he was. Athletic, competitive, and charismatic. So when the Seattle Seahawks picked him up at No. 92 in the third round, they weren’t just picking a dual-threat QB who rushed for 726 yards and 20 scores in his final college season – they were picking a leader-like talent. And now, HC Mike Macdonald is beginning to see why this guy from Alabama has a way with winning hearts. 

You could imagine Mike Macdonald watching Jalen Milroe like a hawk at their two-day rookie minicamp at Virginia Mason Athletic Center. And yeah, he loved what he saw. In an X post on May 3, Seahawks insider Brady Henderson gave fans a glimpse into what the HC thinks about their new QB after the Seahawks wrapped up their rookie workout. And apparently, he’s in love with “the spirit he has from play to play.”

“He’s got great energy, very competitive energy about trying to get it right, break man of the huddle, really takes pride in the operations,” he said. “All these fundamental things that we’re gonna be building from the ground up, he’s just got a great attitude about it. Coaches are doing a great job coaching every player. It goes forward guys with him especially so if you have that attitude especially at the quarterback position, everybody tends to fall in line. In that regard, he was really fun to be around.” The guy is showing up not just to pass but to lead. 

Jalen Milroe had only one other quarterback on the field with him, so reps were plentiful. That’s gold for a young QB, and he made the most use of it. After all, Mike Macdonald already sees his potential and has a vision for him. While others think he’ll thrive as a running back, Seattle thinks otherwise.

“Jalen is a quarterback through and through,” Macdonald said. “He’s going to be trained to play quarterback for us. When he’s in there, he’s going to be playing quarterback. But the athleticism is going to come to life when he’s on the field. That’s how he’s going to help us.” So it’s clear. Milroe’s here to sling it. And maybe do more than that. 

Another moment when Mike Macdonald showed he struck gold with Jalen Milroe is this statement: “Quarterbacks that extend the play are incredibly difficult to defend.” You see, this QB doesn’t just beat you on the designed play. He keeps the play alive. “He can kill you in the first play, the second play, the third play,” he said. “It’s not a fun existence to live consistently. He has that ability.” And now, he’s already got his number, rocking the No. 6 jersey. And here’s where it ties together with Kalen DeBoer’s hype. 

Kalen DeBoer is optimistic about Jalen Milroe 

Kalen DeBoer will not coach Jalen Milroe anymore, but he gave the Seahawks what to expect from him. After Mike Macdonald and co. picked his guy, he didn’t hold himself back when he said, “As a person, you got top tier, I mean first class in every way. He’s someone that the franchise is always going to be proud of and gonna lead him in the right direction. Community is gonna love being around this guy.” See, Seattle is already seeing this in their new QB. 

“He’s going to be one of the first people in the facility every morning, and he’s going to pour everything into it every day,” Kalen DeBoer added. “I think a lot of it is he just has this mindset that he’s not there yet. He’s not arrived. I think that’s the way it will be until the last day he plays his final game or downs of football.” This continuous striving to get better is usually the recipe for success. 

The Seahawks already have vets like Sam Darnold and Drew Lock in their locker room. But what they might have in Jalen Milroe could be different. A gamer, a leader, and just maybe their next QB1. Who knows?