ESPN predicts the 'most likely draft range' for Joe Milton III in the NFL Draft
The best case for former Tennessee quarterback Joe Milton in the NFL Draft is the fifth round, according to ESPN. The worst case? Going undrafted and becoming a priority undrafted free agent.
ESPN’s Jeff Legwold broke down the seven quarterbacks who took part in the Senior Bowl by draft range after talking to NFL scouts who worked the college all-star game in the lead up to the NFL Draft.
“The 6-foot-5, 235-pound Milton was the biggest of the quarterbacks in Mobile,” Legwold wrote, “and those who saw strengths in his game pointed to a quick release when he is decisive and raw power in the arm. But Milton, a transfer from Michigan who took over for Hendon Hooker in 2023, can struggle with his consistency.”
ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. currently has Milton ranked ninth in the quarterback class for the upcoming NFL Draft.
‘Evaluators said they need to see better decision-making from Milton’
Ahead of Milton on Kiper’s list, in order are USC’s Caleb Williams, North Carolina’s Drake Maye, LSU’s Jayden Daniels, Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy, Washington’s Michael Penix Jr., Oregon’s Bo Nix, South Carolina’s Spencer Rattler and Tulane’s Michael Pratt. Milton over the last month has moved ahead of Florida State’s Jordan Travis on Kiper’s big board.
Legwold reported the “earliest predicted draft range” for Milton would be middle-to-late fifth round, that his “latest predicted draft range” would be a priority undrafted free agent and that his “most likely draft range” would be the seventh round.
“Evaluators said they need to see better decision-making from Milton,” Legwold wrote, “particularly when coverages are rolled or changed at the snap. In those situations, he tended to default and leave the pocket when, in some cases, he might not have had to.
“Evaluators polled said Milton’s physical stature and his arm strength, however, would be enough for a team to draft him on Day 3. Milton completed 64.7% of his passes with 20 touchdowns and five picks in his final season.”
Joe Milton III last season: 2,813 yards, 20 touchdowns, 5 interceptions
Milton ended his Tennessee career on a high note, completing 22 of 33 passes for 383 yards and four touchdowns in Tennessee’s regular-season finale against Vanderbilt on November 25 at Neyland Stadium. He ran five times for 11 yards, giving him six total touchdowns on the day.
He finished the season with 2,813 yards, 20 touchdowns and five interceptions. Last season Milton threw for 971 yards and 10 touchdowns, appearing in nine games as Tennessee’s backup quarterback, playing behind Hendon Hooker.
Milton a recruit was a four-star prospect in the 2018 recruiting class out of Olympia High School in Orlando. He was ranked No. 242 overall, was the No. 17 quarterback and the No. 42 overall prospect in the state of Florida.
