Joe Milton, QB Tennessee: 2024 NFL Draft Profile

Milton was a four-star recruit from Olympia High School in Orlando, Fla. in the class of 2018

Tennessee quarterback Joe Milton has the strongest arm among prospects in recent history. However, the sixth-year redshirt senior hasn’t delivered on his physical potential yet. Milton will have the chance to leave his mark this coming season and potentially boost his stock for the 2024 NFL Draft.

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Joe Milton, QB Tennessee: 2024 NFL Draft Profile

Classification: Redshirt senior quarterback from Pahokee, Fla.

Background: Milton was a four-star recruit from Olympia High School in Orlando, Fla. in the class of 2018. He was the No. 204 recruit according to 247Sports, No. 200 for Rivals, and No. 242 for On3.com. ESPN ranked him 119th in the nation with an 84 grade out of 100. He transferred from Michigan to Tennessee for the 2021 season. In high school, Milton participated in the Elite 11 quarterback camp and the Nike 2017 The Opening Regional combine. He completed 90 of 188 pass attempts for 1,317 yards, ten touchdowns, and six interceptions as a senior. Milton also carried the ball 59 times for 262 yards and five scores. As a junior, he completed 82 of 178 pass attempts for 1,543 yards and 17 touchdowns. Milton completed 88 of 183 passes for 1,115 yards and eight touchdowns as a sophomore. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in American culture from Michigan in May of 2021. Milton was born on March 6, 2000.

Injuries & Off-Field: Had offseason surgery on thumb in 2021 after it caused issues in 2020, suffered an ankle injury in 2021 Pitt game leading to Hendon Hooker taking over

Awards: MVP of the 2022-23 Capital One Orange Bowl

Pros: Massive and muscular frame, keeps calm in a crowded pocket, delivers with pressure in his face, feet are not toesy in the pocket, arm talent is special, bazooka arm talent opens throws 65+ yards downfield, velocity is off the charts, arm talent to challenge small windows, zips throws past defenders before they can react, drives the ball on a rope to the far sideline, quick release and throwing motion (even for deep throws), comfortable throwing on the run, gets his hips open for throws when rolling left, quick to flip his hips and feet for throws on RPOs or play action, some examples of reading the whole field and working back to his checkdown, extends plays and keeps his eyes downfield, enough mobility to tuck and run when he sees a hole, tough to tackle at his size

Cons: Age, lost quarterback competitions at Michigan and Tennessee, fumbled three times in 2021, little of Tennessee’s scheme translates to the NFL, manufactured spacing, coverage busts, and half-field reads boost production, feet get bogged down, lower body is a cross between poised and sluggish in the pocket, launches from his back foot with a poor base, gets away with inconsistent footwork because of arm talent, needs to use touch and take some power off his short and intermediate throws, touch passes are rare, throws behind receivers on crossing routes, overthrows receivers on vertical routes, overthrows wide open receivers downfield, doesn’t consistently lead wide receivers to space, ball placement is inconsistent at all levels, accuracy throwing on the run varies with many low throws, stares down targets, post-snap coverage rotations fool him, doesn’t see two-high safety baiting throw, mental clock needs to speed up when facing the rush, awareness of backside pressure comes and goes

Overview: Milton is the latest “built in a lab” quarterback, possessing a massive and muscular frame with a bazooka attached to his right arm. He easily accesses throws more than 65 yards downfield. Milton’s arm strength and velocity are special. He challenges small throwing windows and zips throws past defenders before they can react. Milton drives the ball on a rope to the far sideline. He can complete a pass anywhere on the field. Milton’s quick throwing motion and fast whip-like release make him even more lethal. However, the sixth-year college quarterback doesn’t dominate. He lost battles for the starting job at Michigan and Tennessee because of issues with his mechanics and accuracy. Milton doesn’t throw with touch. He places passes behind receivers and frequently overthrows pass catchers on vertical routes. Milton fails to connect with wide open targets downfield and doesn’t lead his pass catchers into open space. His ball placement is inconsistent at all levels. Milton is mobile enough to tuck and run when he sees a hole and is tough to bring down at his size. He extends plays and keeps his eyes downfield. Unfortunately, the Florida native’s accuracy significantly declines when he’s on the move. Milton stares down targets and doesn’t move the defense with his eyes. Post-snap coverage rotations fool him, and he doesn’t detect safeties baiting him to throw vertically. There are some examples of Milton reading the whole field and working back to his checkdown, but Tennessee’s scheme limits these opportunities. Very little of what the Volunteers run translates to the NFL. Their quarterbacks benefit from manufactured spacing, coverage busts, and half-field reads that boost production. Milton will need to adjust once he reaches the pros. His footwork in the pocket is a cross between poised and sluggish. His feet get bogged down sometimes, but he’s rarely toesy or over-active. Milton keeps calm in a crowded pocket and delivers throws with pressure in his face. He occasionally launches from his back foot or opts not to step into throws. Milton gets away with inconsistent footwork because of his arm talent. The college veteran needs to speed up his mental clock when facing a quality pass rush. His awareness of backside pressure comes and goes.

Overall, Milton has the best arm in the 2024 draft class, but he fails to capitalize on his physical tools because of issues with his mechanics and post-snap recognition. NFL teams will likely view Milton as a top 100 pick entering the year because of his incredible arm talent. However, he’s a very raw prospect despite his extended stay in the college ranks.

Role & Scheme Fit: Semi-dual threat quarterback in a play action-heavy system

Round Projection: Fifth Round

Size: 6'5", 242 lbs. (Unofficial)

Submitted: 06-19-23