Lions Met With QB Jalen Milroe at Combine

Milroe explains great relationship with Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold.

Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Jalen Milroe (4). / Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe has plenty of history with Detroit Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold.

The two were teammates playing for Nick Saban from 2021-23, before Arnold departed for the NFL and was drafted 24th overall by the Lions in the 2024 NFL Draft. Now, it's Milroe's turn to go through the draft process.

Part of that process has been a meeting with the Detroit Lions, as he revealed during his media session Friday at the NFL Scouting Combine.

He has a close bond with Arnold, and had high praise for the impact that the defender had on him during their time together as college teammates.

“Terrion’s my best friend. He’s my guy to this day. He’s someone who, throughout college, we had a great relationship," Milroe said. "Each and every day building and talking, and the best thing we had was we were able to be vulnerable around each other and explain our thought process. It’s a social norm to be considered tough and not be able to express your thoughts, but that’s someone that I leaned on to be able to talk to and that’s my dawg for life."

Milroe explained how he and Arnold trained for Alabama's 'Fourth Quarter Program,' which is a series of conditioning tests designed to replicate the intensity of playing in the fourth quarter of a football game.

The discipline and effort that Arnold showed during their preparations has resonated with Milroe, who is now looking to find his footing in the NFL. Currently, the quarterback is projected as a Day 2 prospect.

"(Arnold) is a guy that’s very, very, very disciplined when it comes to how he works," Milroe explained. "People don’t know about the Fourth Quarter Program at Alabama. It’s hard to prepare for that, but me and him ran the track, we ran about six miles each and every day trying to prepare for the fourth quarter program. We actually pulled Caleb Downs along.

"We ran 100 (yard sprints) every day to try to get our body fitted," Milroe continued. "We were around each other a lot, we built a great relationship. Just someone that puts a lot into football, someone that I love a lot. I’m just happy for all his success to be able to start in the NFL. I’m always behind him, that’s my brother for life.”

A two-year starter for the Crimson Tide, Milroe threw for 6,016 yards and 60 touchdowns across his Alabama career. His best trait is his ability to run, as he routinely is able to make defenders miss or outrun them with his straight line speed. He rushed for 1,577 yards and 33 scores, including 20 in his final season.

The Lions also have an affinity with drafting players out of Alabama, as evidenced by their selections of Arnold, Brian Branch, Jameson Williams and Jahmyr Gibbs in recent years.

While uncertain what the future may hold as far as where he is drafted, Milroe would enjoy the opportunity to suit up alongside Arnold once again at some point in his NFL career.

“I was able to talk to the Lions," Milroe said. "What God has in store for me, I’m gonna pursue that as much as possible, but down the road that’d be something great, to be able to play with my brother.” 

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