Joe Milton Draft Profile | Tennessee, QB Scouting Report

The Tennessee Volunteers offense is centered upon their ability to create explosive plays and use space to their advantage. Joe Milton could be a perfect fit for that offense. But does his skill set lend itself to being the Volunteers’ second consecutive QB taken before Round 4 of the NFL Draft? How complimentary is his scouting report?

Joe Milton Draft Profile and Measurements

• Height: 6’5″
• Weight: 235 pounds
• Position: Quarterback
• School: Tennessee
• Current Year: Senior

Before choosing the Michigan Wolverines, Milton was a top-250 recruit in the nation and a four-star by Rivals, ESPN, and On3. Meanwhile, 247Sports did not have him nationally ranked but handed him a three-star rating as the 60th-best player in Florida.

Milton didn’t get on the field much early in his Michigan career. But in the COVID-shortened 2020 season, he started five of Michigan’s six games. Cade McNamara eventually relieved Milton against Penn State in their sixth game, and Milton transferred afterward.

He started for Tennessee during the first two games of the 2021 season, but an injury sidelined him, allowing Hendon Hooker to take over. Hooker didn’t relinquish the role until an ACL tear late in 2022.

Hooker enters his sixth collegiate season as the Volunteers man and has much to prove to NFL evaluators.

Joe Milton Scouting Report

Strengths

• Flashes controlled pocket movements vs. pressure
• Big, big arm
• Acceleration through throwing motion is insane
• The ball gets to the opposite hash instantaneously
• General accuracy seems to be there
• Velo makes up for lackluster processing speed
• Unbelievable size
• Explosive athlete

Weaknesses

• Lacks confidence in the picture
• See-it, then throw-it guy at the moment
• Lacks feel as a runner on designs
• Too passive on read-option reads
• Defaults to backside spin out too often when escaping

Current Draft Projection and Summary

Milton’s arm is unbelievable. It simply does not make sense how he can generate that kind of velocity while not yet maximizing the amount he could get if he used his core and lower body more as a thrower. He truly is one of the most gifted arms we’ve seen in some time.

Add that to his 6’5″, 235-pound frame, and you have the starting point of a Madden create-a-player. He is the prototype. But there is far more to playing QB at an elite level than size, athleticism, and a weapons-grade right arm.

MORE: FREE Mock Draft Simulator With Trades

And therein lies the rub with Milton. Josh Heupel’s offense can be wildly explosive, but it does not lend itself to painting a pretty picture of how well quarterbacks can do down-to-down quarterback things at an NFL level because NFL offenses don’t look similar.

What we can do is see what kind of growth comes from being on the field more often. Milton must become more confident in what he’s seeing pre- and post-snap so he’s not putting the ball at risk by waiting to throw a pass to the sideline from the opposite hash after a receiver is already coming out of his break on a curl.

But no matter what happens this season, barring an unfortunate significant injury, Milton will find himself a home on an NFL team because you cannot teach the physical gifts he possesses.