Rivals Rankings Week: Debating Jalen Milroe vs. Tyler Buchner
Rivals.com unveiled its updated rankings for the 2021 class, which featured notable changes up and down the entire Rivals250. As always, quarterback is a topic of interest.
Jalen Milroe and Tyler Buchner are the top-ranked four-star dual-threat quarterbacks in the country. Milroe, who recently flipped from Texas to Alabama, sits at No. 3. Buchner, a longtime Notre Dame pledge, is right behind him at No. 4.
Rivals.com analysts Sam Spiegelman and Adam Gorney address each quarterback in their regions in this installment of Rival Views.
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CLASS OF 2021 RANKINGS WEEK SCHEDULE
MONDAY: Who should be No. 1 in 2021? | Counting down the 20 five-stars | Looking at new five-stars
TUESDAY: Rivals250 revealed | Mike Farrell's thoughts on Rivals250 | Ten big movers | Where five-stars stand in recruiting | Teams with most R250 commits
WEDNESDAY: QB rankings | RB rankings | WR/TE rankings | OL rankings
THURSDAY: DL rankings | LB rankings | DB rankings | ATH rankings
FRIDAY: State rankings spotlight
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GORNEY'S VIEW: Tyler Buchner
I get it. Buchner did not have a great week at the Elite 11 and that was his one opportunity this summer to prove himself against other elite quarterbacks in this class but it seemed like there were some unnecessary tweaks to his throwing style that made him less accurate than usual at that event. If this is a question of which quarterback looks physically better on the field and who could bench press more, than Milroe wins without question.
But we're talking about which QB should be ranked higher and it's still Buchner all day. He can still zip the ball all over the field, he can direct an offense, chip away at defenses or take the big shot and he rarely ever makes a mistake. He is perfect for what Notre Dame is looking for in its quarterback. There's almost no doubt Buchner is going to be surrounded by an offensive line that protects him and gives him time to dismantle defenses and that's what the four-star does best. In his junior season he totaled more than 6,000 yards with 81 total touchdowns. Yes, it was against weak competition, but it's easy to see on the field, in game situations, Buchner is a stellar QB.
SPIEGELMAN'S VIEW: Jalen Milroe
The 2021 quarterback crop in Texas has always been a deep, talented group, and in the past eight months we have seen new quarterbacks emerge from all over the state as four-star prospects. However, Milroe debuted as Texas' top-ranked passer and has maintained that post for a reason.
Milroe is a pure passer that devoted last offseason to the craft, which resulted in 2,700 yards through the air and 29 touchdowns. He's a pass-first quarterback that uses his mobility and athleticism to extend plays and make the most of his opportunities when plays break down. He's resourceful, calm and composed, and is an excellent decision-maker.
Milroe possesses elite arm strength and while there is some fine-tuning necessary with some technical aspects of his game, he has the ability to attack defenses downfield, pick them apart in a zone and can change the course of his games with his legs. In a lot of ways, Milroe is an elite game-manager. He brings a winning pedigree and aura of confidence to the position.