What Joe Milton said after being picked by the New England Patriots in the NFL Draft

Everything former Tennessee quarterback Joe Milton said during his media availability Saturday after being selected in the sixth round of the NFL Draft by the New England Patriots:

His reaction to being drafted by the New England Patriots

“It’s amazing. I’m blessed by the best. My family’s very proud of me, these moments, especially about me just overcoming adversity twice. So it’s a blessing for sure.” 

If he was surprised to be drafted by New England after the Patriots took Drake Maye at No. 3 overall

“It was kind of both (sides) of the same spectrum. But at the same time it was kind of like I just had all the hats laid out. You just never know where you’ll end up. So I was just waiting on any phone call.”

If he has any kind of relationship with Drake Maye

“Yeah, we came in contact multiple times, even before the season at the Peyton Manning Camp. So me and him are close. Not close as we’re going to be, but we’re close right now to the point that we can have a conversation for sure.” 

What he thinks about being drafted by a team that already took a quarterback in the first round of the same draft

“Just the opportunity. I feel like everywhere you go, no matter what quarterback got selected in this draft, no matter where you go, you’re going to have to compete. Nothing’s just given to you, no matter who you are. So no matter where you go, you’re just going have to compete. So that’s what I’m looking forward to do.”

About his contact with the Patriots during the pre-draft process

“I talked to them a couple times at the Senior Bowl. I also had their offense at the Senior Bowl. And then I had to get a Zoom call with them not too long ago, probably like two or three weeks ago before I left Tennessee to come home. And ever since then, other than that, it’s been nothing.”

His arm strength, if he’s always had it or if it developed at some point

“Kind of, sort of. I know growing up my arm wasn’t that strong. My mom used to say it was because I used to throw the ball over over top of the buildings and try to go run and catch it on the other side. But other than that, I’ll say like growing up it was probably like 50 to 60. As I got older and more stronger and kept working at my craft, it got way better for sure.” 

The social media video showing him throwing an orange 106 yards

“The orange was pretty fun, but I think I can throw an orange farther than that. That was right after practice and that was game week. So it was pretty tough to just throw it first as I want to just, because my arm was already tired from practice. But I feel like if I was given an orange again, I’d throw it farther than that for sure.” 

If he knows anyone already with the Patriots

“Josh Uche (linebacker). To be honest, I wasn’t expecting this call so I got to go look at the roster again. But so far it’s only Josh Uche and big Mike (Onwenu). I think so far (that’s it), yeah, so far.”

People speculating that he could move to tight end

“You’re the first person I actually heard that from, to be real with you. But that’ll never happen.”

Going to play for Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo, another Tennessee football product

“It’s great to always have two VFLs in the building, especially when you’re somewhere other than Knoxville. So just for us to reconnect and get to know each other, it’s going to be great.”

Leaving Michigan, waiting his turn at Tennessee and now getting drafted in the NFL

“It’s a wonderful moment. I’m pretty much speechless at this point. Words are kind of tripping over themselves, so I’m kind of speechless at this point. I’m blessed by the best, happy about this moment and only person I can thank for this moment is God. And all the hard work I put in there and the people that I have that went, that was with me every step of the way.”

Quarterbacks he watches and what he takes away from their games

“Brock Purdy. Brock Purdy is good with his feet, so every step he takes, he’s going somewhere and I try to implement that into my game. Just because you don’t want to make false movements. So that’s something that I worked over in the pre-draft process with Jordan Palmer. And I’ve just been, at it every day, just trying to maintain, make sure I maintain that process of eliminating steps and make sure every step I take I’m going somewhere.”