Patriots take 2nd QB of draft in 6th with Milton

The New England Patriots selected Tennessee quarterback Joe Milton in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, 193rd overall.

The Patriots made quarterback Drake Maye their new franchise player by selecting him at No. 3. New England also brought back Jacoby Brissett for a second stint in March as a potential stopgap option.

Milton will likely compete with Bailey Zappe and Nathan Rourke to be the AFC East club's third quarterback.

The 24-year-old split his six-year college career between Michigan and Tennessee. He was the starter for his final year with the Volunteers, finishing with 2,813 yards and 20 touchdowns against five interceptions.

Pre-draft profile

Milton has a long way to go in the more technical areas of quarterback play - he needs to make major strides in terms of reading the field, operating on time, playing with anticipation, and managing the pocket. But why wouldn't someone take a shot on a player with these kinds of physical gifts? The Tennessee product has prototypical size, intriguing athleticism, and one of the strongest arms you will ever see in a quarterback. Milton developing enough to make the most of his raw talents feels like a long shot, and entering the league at 24 years old doesn't exactly help what figures to be a long process. But this is a home-run swing worth taking in the late rounds.