DETROIT — Tennessee quarterback Joe Milton was selected in the NFL Draft on Saturday by the New England Patriots as a sixth-round pick.
Milton came to the Vols in 2021 after spending three seasons at Michigan. He was named the starting quarterback in his first season at UT.
After an ankle injury, Hendon Hooker was elevated to starting quarterback and remained as the starter throughout that season and the following season.
However, Milton would be called on to be the starter again at the end of the 2022 season after Hooker suffered a season-ending torn ACL injury. Milton started against Vanderbilt in the regular season finale. He then started the Orange Bowl, in which he was named Most Valuable Player going for 251 passing yards and three touchdowns vs. Clemson.
In 2022, he threw for 971 yards, 10 touchdowns and no interceptions, creating a lot of hype for the 2023 season following his performance in the New Year's Six bowl game.
He started all 12 regular season games for UT in 2023, throwing for 2,813 yards, 20 touchdowns and five interceptions with a 65 percent completion percentage. He also had 299 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns.
His 3,112 total yards of total offense, marked the third straight season a Vol quarterback eclipsed the 3,000 mark and it was the eighth-best total in school history.
His best performance came in his final game in the Orange and White against Vanderbilt. on Senior Day. He had six total touchdowns, four coming through the air and two on the ground. He threw for 383 yards. The touchdowns and passing yards were both career-highs for a single game for Milton.
Earlier in the season he went 17 of 20 on completions with 227 yards, one touchdown and zero interceptions against Kentucky. His 85 percent completion percentage was the highest by a Vol in an SEC game since 2016.
After opting out of the Citrus Bowl, Milton focused on going pro. He played in the Reese's Senior Bowl but threw two interceptions. Milton bounced back at the NFL Scouting Combine and at Pro Day on UT's campus. He showed off his big arm talent, connecting on deep passes with receivers at both that caught the attention of many.
