BREAKING: Rivals100 QB Jalen Milroe commits to Texas

Jalen Milroe recently released his final eight schools earlier this month, but commitment has been on his mind for the length of the summer.

On Sunday, Milroe fulfilled that quest with a commitment to Texas. Texas A&M and Alabama finished second in the race for the Rivals100 quarterback.

Texas currently holds commitments from three quarterbacks between its 2020 and 2021 recruiting classes, all of whom are ranked inside the Rivals250. Milroe and 2020 commitment Hudson Card are both top-100 prospects, while Ja'Quinden Jackson, the Longhorns' other quarterback in the 2020 class, is a top-250 prospect also capable of being used in an "athlete" role on The Forty Acres.

Milroe's recruitment took off this spring as offers poured in from all over the country. As a Houston-area prospect, he naturally gravitated toward nearby Texas A&M early on and also received a high degree of interest from both Texas and Alabama, who each got the four-star dual-threat on campus to work out and earn an offer.

After a spring full of visits all over the country, from Texas to Florida to Oregon, Milroe narrowed the field of offers down to eight, including both Texas and Texas A&M, in addition to Alabama. Those three sat atop of Milroe's board.

Milroe admitted earlier in July that he was on the verge of committing to the Aggies, but fellow 2020 four-star Texas dual-threat Eli Stowers jumped on board first. Milroe and Stowers currently rank as the Nos. 2 and 3 dual-threat quarterbacks in the country for Class of 2021.

With Texas A&M effectively out of the picture, the Longhorns grabbed hold of momentum and landed his commitment three weeks after Milroe was considering the other in-state power.

Credit Tom Herman, who maintained a relationship with the Tompkins High School product dating back to his tenure at Houston. Herman worked exclusively with Milroe at a Texas prospect camp earlier this summer and lured the prized quarterback back on campus for the Heat Wave ahead of the dead period, eventually leading to Sunday's commitment.

"With Texas, I like the atmosphere," Milroe told Rivals in early July. "The atmosphere and life after football, the network. Only a few schools can match Texas with life after football. I like the relationship with Coach (Tom) Herman. Before he was there he was at Houston and in eighth grade, I talked to him. At Texas, we kept that relationship. I like Herman as a quarterbacks coach and at the Heat Wave I spent the whole day around the players. To be able to hear in the background from the players and hear what they think about the coaching staff or being a Longhorn, they like it and I liked what they had to say."

"Throughout the recruiting process, The University of Texas was one of the schools who communicated with me the most ... since my freshman year. When I sat down and discussed everything with my family, we believed that they were the most consistent and they made me feel like my future on and off of the field was a priority for them."

"They talked to me about the program as a whole and what they have accomplished so far. As far as myself in relation to the program, we discussed a multitude of things. We discussed the future when I get there, about building an elite class, where I fit in the quarterback room, my ability to compete and get on the field, helping me to achieve my goals with getting my degree, playing at the next level, and life after football."

"With Texas A&M and every school that I was considering, I looked at what they said as well as what they showed me. The more I communicated with Coach (Tim) Beck he made me feel he was truly interested in me and wanted to coach and develop me. Meeting with Coach (Tom) Herman and hearing his thought process, why he came to Texas, his philosophies and the direction he wanted to take the University of Texas was big for me. What factored heavily in my decision is that you go to school where you are wanted, and The University of Texas made me feel that I was wanted."

"The whole recruiting process is difficult and stressful but when considering everything, picking The University of Texas was an easy decision to make because of everything that The University of Texas stands for and could offer me. I knew that no matter what school I chose, my family was still going to support me and come watch me play. When first considering schools the distance didn’t matter to me, I was looking for the right fit and I believe that I found that at The University of Texas."

Having watched Milroe both on-tape, at RCS Houston and during a live intrasquad scrimmage this spring, we have a good grasp on just how talented the Rivals100 prospect is.

At 6-foot-3 and a shade under 200 pounds, Milroe has the size to be an effective thrower and runner. In the Big 12, his arm strength and mobility are going to plague defensive coordinators on a week-to-week.

Milroe has a cannon for a right arm. He can flick it 40 yards downfield with ease. That arm strength allows him to challenge defenses vertically and put extra zip on the ball while throwing short and intermediate routes over the middle and outside the numbers. His arm strength is unquestioned and one of the biggest assets Herman and the Texas offensive coaches will be able to design a passing attack around.

Milroe's arm strength is complemented by a rapid delivery and good accuracy both in the pocket and on the run. His timing is exceptional -- as is his ball placement -- whether it's outside the numbers or throwing up 50-50 balls in the red zone.

His accuracy is off the charts for a dual-threat quarterback with that level of arm strength, but his biggest obstacle will be performing on a consistent basis. That accuracy is can be inconsistent and errant throws tend to be the result. The ability to throw with that much zip on the ball makes his completion percentage as a junior in 2019 as a major storyline to follow.

In terms of mobility, Milroe is still a pass-first quarterback. When plays break down or he's left alone in the open field, however, he's a home-run threat. Milroe can also extend plays with his legs and moves well in and outside the pocket to allow his receivers to get open downfield. That extra time he's able to buy is certainly valuable. He's both an elusive and a powerful downhill runner that isn't shy about lowering his shoulder and picking up extra yardage, and it doesn't go unnoticed.