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Mike Reiss, ESPN Staff Writer
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — New England Patriots selected University of Tennessee midfielder Joe Milton III in the sixth round of the NFL draft on Saturday, falling twice at the position after selecting North Carolina Drake Maye third overall.
Milton admitted he was a little surprised to hear from the Patriots at pick No. 193 but said hearing from the team was special nonetheless because of the adversity he said he had faced in his career.
“I’ve got it all [NFL] hats are displayed. You just never know where you will end up. I am just waiting for any phone call,” he told reporters in a video conference. “It was definitely a blessing.”
The 6-foot-5, 246-pound Milton said all of his conversations with the Patriots have been about playing quarterback. Some draft analysts wondered if teams would consider him a tight end, but Milton said bluntly: “That’s never going to happen.”
The Patriots currently have five quarterbacks on their roster, led by veterans Jacoby Brissettwho signed a one-year, $8 million contract in March. Maye is the quarterback hopeful of the future, with Milton a 2022 fourth-round pick Bailey Zappe and second-year player Nathan Rourke also on the depth chart.
“Just the opportunity. I feel like wherever you go, no matter what quarterback is selected in this draft, you’re going to be competitive,” Milton said. when they first met at a camp run by Peyton Manning before the season. “Nothing is given to you no matter who you are. That’s what I look forward to doing.”
The pickaxe used to pick Milton was acquired from Jacksonville Jaguars in March in exchange for an initial pick and first round pick Mac Jones.
This is only the second time in team history that the Patriots have selected two quarterbacks in one draft. The second time was in 1983 with Tony Eason and Tom Ramsey.
Additionally, New England became just the fourth team since 2000 to land a quarterback after also taking one in the first round. Others are Pittsburgh with Kenny Pickett And Chris Oladokun in 2022, Washington with Robert Griffin III and Kirk cousins in 2012 and Indianapolis with Andrew Luck and Chandler Harnish in 2012.
“We’re trying to get good football players in the door and Milton happens to be one of them,” first-year Patriots coach Jerod Mayo said. “Obviously, he understands that we got the quarterback at No. 3, with Drake. One thing we preach is competition. Nothing is given. It’s all earned. That’s how we think about the process.”
When asked if the Patriots would consider using Milton in positions other than quarterback, Mayo said: “We’ll have to see how that kind of plays out once we put the pads on, but we’ve pick him as midfielder.”
Milton, 24, spent three seasons at Michigan, mostly sitting behind the starter Shea Patterson before starting five games in 2020 and then being replaced by Cade McNamara. He transferred to Tennessee in 2021, starting the first two games of his first season before suffering an ankle injury. Hendon prostitute takes over as midfielder for the remainder of the year and into 2022.
Milton didn’t reappear until the final two games of 2022, when Hooker suffered a knee injury. Power-armed Milton was named Orange Bowl MVP after passing 19-of-28 for 251 yards and three touchdowns in the win over Clemson. He then returned as the starter in 2023, taking advantage of an extra year of eligibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 12 appearances last season, he was 229-of-354 for 2,813 yards, with 20 touchdowns and five interceptions. He added 78 rushes for 299 yards and seven touchdowns.
His 20 touchdown passes traveled an average of 21.2 yards downfield, second-highest in the FBS among quarterbacks with 20 touchdown passes, behind only Alabama’s Jalen Milroe (25.4).
From 2021 to 23, Milton had 17 passing attempts of at least 50 yards. No other FBS player has more than nine during that span.
Summing up his journey on Saturday, Milton said: “It was an amazing moment. I’m almost speechless at this point.”
Milton becomes the first Tennessee player selected by the Patriots since Mayo, their former quarterback and current coach, in 2008 (No. 10 overall).
“It’s nice to always have two ‘VFLs’ in the building, especially when you’re somewhere other than Knoxville,” Milton said, referring to the “Volunteer for Life” motto.
“If we just reconnect and get to know each other, everything will be great.”
