Patriots' Jerod Mayo Raves About Intriguing Rookie

New England Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo is very impressed with a certain rookie.

Aug 15, 2024; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Joe Milton III (19) looks to pass the ball against the Philadelphia Eagles during the second half at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images / Eric Canha-Imagn Images

The New England Patriots actually selected two quarterbacks in the 2024 NFL Draft.

First, the Patriots took Drake Maye with the No. 3 overall pick. That's the guy everyone is talking about, and for good reason. He is probably New England's quarterback of the future, and he could be around for the next decade-plus.

But what about Joe Milton?

The Pats chose Milton in the sixth round of the draft, and while many loved Milton's talent, some felt he wouldn't actually be able to play quarterback at the NFL level. Some even suggested that he could play tight end, but the University of Tennessee product immediately shot it down.

But apparently, Milton—who had some impressive moments during the preseason—is looking very good in practice, and Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo says that he has seen a "huge development" in the rookie signal-caller.

“He’s one of those guys that has to steal reps,” Mayo said of Milton, via Bernd Buchmasser of Pats Pulpit. “Drake’s getting a lot of those reps, and he’s running the show team and doing a great job there. We also have a period at the end of practice where it’s just, ‘Call it and go,’ like five or six plays."

Milton even won "Practice Player of the Week" for the squad this week.

“He’s getting better every day, and again — going back to stealing reps — he’s one of the top users of the virtual reality system," added Mayo.

Milton is certainly an intriguing prospect.

The 24-year-old threw for 2,813 yards, 20 touchdowns and five interceptions while completing 64.7 percent of his passes during his final collegiate campaign. He also rushed for 299 yards and seven scores.

At 6-foot-5 and around 245 pounds, Milton is definitely an impressive physical specimen, and he could potentially serve as interesting trade bait for another quarterback-needy team.

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