Tennessee Volunteers QB Joe Milton spent a lot of time playing college football, hoping to get a chance to play in the NFL. Now likely to realize his dream, let’s look back at Milton’s path to entering the 2024 NFL Draft.
Where Did Joe Milton’s Football Career Start?
Milton went to Olympia High School in Orlando, Florida. As a senior, he threw for 1,317 yards, 10 touchdowns, and six interceptions. He also ran for 262 yards and five touchdowns.
A three-star prospect, Milton received 25 offers from college football programs. Every single one of them was from Division I programs, with nearly all of them being FBS schools. From his list of choices, Milton chose to enroll at Michigan.
Revisiting Milton’s College Career
Michigan
There’s not much to discuss regarding Milton’s first two years at Michigan. As Shea Patterson’s backup, he barely saw the field. The team limited Milton to four games each year to preserve his redshirt status, affording him an additional two years of eligibility should he want it.
The 2020 season was complicated for more reasons than the obvious one. Michigan played just six games due to the pandemic. Milton was supposed to compete with Dylan McCaffrey to be the starter. Then, after McCaffrey transferred, the job was supposed to be Milton’s to lose.
Milton started the first three games of the season. He posted solid numbers, but Michigan started the season 1-2. Beginning in Week 4, he lost work to Cade McNamara.
Starting in Week 3, Milton’s pass attempts decreased every successive week. And in the final game of the season, he attempted just three passes.
With things not working out as he had hoped at Michigan, Milton elected to transfer ahead of the 2021 season. Entering his senior year but still with two years of eligibility remaining, Milton transferred to Tennessee.
Tennessee
Milton’s first year with the Volunteers was a rocky one. He opened the season as the starter but got hurt in Week 2. As a result, future third-round pick of the Detroit Lions, Hendon Hooker, replaced Milton as the starter.
When Milton was ready to return, he did not regain his starting job. He attempted just 62 passes the entire season.
Having shown nothing that would get him taken in the 2022 NFL Draft, Milton chose to return to school for a fifth season. Unfortunately, he would serve as Hooker’s backup.
Unfortunately for Hooker, he tore his ACL in Week 11 of the 2022 season — propelling Milton into the starting role. In two starts, Milton threw for 398 yards, four touchdowns, and no interceptions. That included an Orange Bowl victory over Clemson.
After completing five collegiate seasons, Milton still hadn’t had a chance to start for a full year. As a result, he returned to Tennessee for a sixth season.
Milton finally got a chance to show what he could do, throwing for 2,819 yards and 20 touchdowns against just five interceptions in 12 starts. He also progressed as a runner, rushing for 305 yards and seven touchdowns.
While Milton actually could have opted to return for a seventh collegiate season due to the COVID year, he decided instead to declare for the 2024 NFL Draft.
Milton’s Potential in the NFL
It would be a surprise if Milton doesn’t end up on an NFL roster, but Pro Football Network draft analyst Ian Cummings isn’t sure it will happen during the draft.
“Milton grades out as a late-round or potential PFA prospect in the 2024 NFL Draft. He has one of the biggest arms in the class, and that alone will generate interest for him. But in Milton’s profile, there’s also plenty of uncertainty regarding how he’ll translate in the NFL.
“Physical tools serve as the main selling point for Milton. At around 6’5″, 235 pounds, he’s an exceptional linear athlete with great burst and speed in open space, and he’s also a rocket-armed signal-caller who can drive elite velocity to all ranges with effortless ease.”
MORE: Ian Cummings’ Full Scouting Report of Joe Milton
Milton is undoubtedly an impressive athlete and has the size to play quarterback at the highest level. However, Cummings was not impressed with Milton’s ability to read defenses and questions whether he has the capacity to excel at the NFL level.
“Milton’s near-complete lack of autonomous processing and anticipation as a field general causes concern for his NFL transition. At Tennessee, Milton was almost entirely reliant on one-read throws, with very few pure drop-backs and progressions baked in.
“Even on one-read throws, Milton experienced startling delays between recognition and trigger at times, and his inability to adapt off of schemed targets also created turnover opportunities for opposing defenses.
“As a late-round developmental QB option, Milton’s physical talent does produce intrigue — but as a 24-year-old rookie, he’s shown very little as a processor and independent decision-maker. In the NFL, QBs need to be adaptable, and Milton’s tape at Tennessee was the antithesis of that.
“Ultimately, with his size and athleticism, a move to tight end could be feasible in the future. But it’s hard to imagine Milton won’t at least get a look as a developmental QB3 first, with the arm strength he possesses.”
Milton’s Highlights, Records, and More
With only one full season as a starter under his belt, Milton didn’t have much of a chance to garner any individual accolades. He does, however, hold the Tennessee record for the longest QB rush, scampering for an 81-yard touchdown against UTSA in 2023.
Milton enters the NFL already 24 years old. Yet, despite spending six years at college, his experience isn’t anywhere near the level you’d expect from a prospect this old. Unfortunately, Milton is facing a significant uphill battle to make it in the NFL.
KEEP READING: Top QBs in the 2024 NFL Draft
Draft with your friends today! PFN’s Mock Draft Simulator now supports multiple drafters during the same draft! Ensure your player rankings are up to date on the 2024 NFL Draft Big Board and you know what every NFL team needs before drafting.
