Pros, cons of New England Patriots picking Tennessee's Joe Milton in 2024 NFL Draft
Tennessee quarterback Joe Milton is officially an NFL rookie after being picked by the New England Patriots in the 2024 NFL draft on Saturday.
Milton was selected No. 193 overall in the sixth round by Patriots first-year coach Jerod Mayo, a former Tennessee linebacker. New England also drafted quarterback Drake Maye with the No. 3 overall pick.
Here's what Milton brings to the Patriots based on his career with the Tennessee Vols.
What Joe Milton brings to New England Patriots in 2024 NFL Draft
Milton has a freakishly strong throwing arm, prototypical size (6-5, 235) and athleticism. But he never reached his full potential in six seasons in college, including three at Michigan and three at Tennessee.
That means he has the potential of a tremendous upside. But there’s a looming question of whether an NFL team can unlock Milton’s talent. Many coaches have tried to tap into his full capabilities, but none has yet.
Joe Milton highlights, strengths, weaknesses at Tennessee
Milton has the strongest throwing arm in this draft and probably in most drafts. The question is whether he’s more like All-Pro Josh Allen or draft bust Jamarcus Russell, who had wildly different NFL careers despite both touting a right-armed cannon.
Milton also ran the 40 in 4.56 seconds and can do a back flip.
In college, Milton was reasonably productive but never reached his full potential. He lacked touch on his throws and didn’t go through progressions fast enough in the passing game. He also had good straight-line speed, but he’s not an instinctive runner.
Joe Milton stats with Tennessee
As Tennessee's starter in 2023, Milton completed 65% of his passes for 2,813 yards, 20 TDs and five interceptions. He also rushed for 299 yards and seven TDs.
As a backup in 2022, Milton passed for 971 yards, 10 TDs and no interceptions.
Adam Sparks is the Tennessee football beat reporter. Email adam.sparks@knoxnews.com. X, formerly known as Twitter@AdamSparks. Support strong local journalism by subscribing at knoxnews.com/subscribe.
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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Patriots draft Joe Milton in 2024 NFL Draft: Pros, cons of pick
