Joe Milton's Talent Was too Enticing For New England Patriots

Even though the New England Patriots selected Drake Maye at third overall, the raw talent of Joe Milton was too much for them to pass on.

Tennessee quarterback Joe Milton III (7) throws the ball during the NCAA college football game / Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA

The idea of selecting two quarterbacks in the NFL Draft isn't a new one. The Washington Commanders did so in 2012 with Robert Griffin III and Kirk Cousins and the Dallas Cowboys selected Steve Walsh in the first round of the supplemental draft right after selecting Troy Aikman first overall in 1989.

The New England Patriots were the latest team to dive into the quarterback market twice in the NFL Draft by selecting Drake Maye third overall and Joe Milton 193rd overall in the sixth round.

During an appearance on Adam Schefter's podcast, de facto Patriots general manager Eliot Wolf said that his talent was too good to pass up.

“It was just one of those picks where there was too much talent in him to pass that up. "I had the opportunity to watch Joe play live, the last game of the year against Vanderbilt. I got there really early and watched him warm up. Just watching him throw the football is unbelievable,” Wolf said. “He’s 6-5, 245 pounds. He’s got a rocket for an arm. He’s athletic. He played in [Tennessee head coach Josh] Heupel’s offense there. It’s not an NFL offense, but we feel like there’s some things that we can work with and develop,”

- Eliot Wolf

It's inarguable that Milton has elite level arm talent. He can throw the ball arguably harder and further than any quarterback in the history of the National Football League. Now, he hasn't been consistent in doing so over the course of his college career, having won the starting job at both Michigan and Tennessee before losing the job based on his performance.

Will it work out for the Patriots and Milton? Only time will tell, but it's a bet worth making.