If anyone had been talking about a position change to go with his move to the NFL, it was news to former Tennessee quarterback Joe Milton III on Saturday. After being drafted in the sixth round by the New England Patriots in the NFL Draft, that’s one question Milton was asked.
Is playing tight end in his future?
“You’re the first person I actually heard that from, to be real with you,” Milton said during his video press conference with New England media.
Milton shot it down, though, in no uncertain terms.
“But that’ll never happen,” he said.
Patriots picked Joe Milton in the sixth round of the NFL Draft, at No. 193 overall
Milton was the No. 193 overall pick, selected by the Patriots on Day 3 of the NFL Draft Saturday in Detroit. He was the second quarterback picked by New England, which took North Carolina QB Drake Maye in the first round at No. 3 overall.
The quarterback depth chart in New England also includes Jacoby Brissett and Bailey Zappe.
Milton said Saturday he viewed his new situation as an opportunity. And that’s all he can ask for.
“I feel like everywhere you go,” Milton said, “no matter what quarterback got selected in this draft, no matter where you go, you’re going to have to compete. Nothing’s just given to you, no matter who you are. So no matter where you go, you’re just going have to compete. So that’s what I’m looking forward to do.”
Milton, the 6-foot-5, 235-pound quarterback who played six years of college football, was a former four-star prospect in the 2018 recruiting cycle. He was ranked as the No. 17 quarterback nationally in his class and was the No. 42 overall player in the state of Florida at Olympia High School in Orlando.
Milton threw for 4,159 yards, 32 TDs, 5 INTs in 29 games at Tennessee
Milton started his collegiate career at Michigan, then transferred to Tennessee in 2021. He threw for 1,194 yards, five touchdowns and six interceptions in 14 games at Michigan. He had 4,159 yards, 32 touchdowns and five interceptions in 29 games at Tennessee.
Milton finished his Tennessee career with 2,813 yards, 20 touchdowns and five interceptions last season, taking over for Hendon Hooker as the team’s starting quarterback.
Now he goes to New England to play for former Tennessee linebacker Jerod Mayo, the new head coach of the Patriots and the successor to Bill Belichick.
“It’s great to always have two VFLs in the building,” Milton said, “especially when you’re somewhere other than Knoxville. So just for us to reconnect and get to know each other, it’s going to be great.”
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