Joe Milton is one of the hottest names in college football this offseason, especially after his 70-yard throw at the Manning Passing Academy. Let’s dive into the data to see if Milton is just another case of raw talent or if he actually is a superstar in the making.
Joe Milton: The Next Volunteer Superstar?
In a stacked high school recruiting class featuring the likes of Trevor Lawrence and Justin Fields, Milton ranked 34th among all quarterbacks and earned three-star status. After committing to Michigan, Milton joined the fray as one of the top potential quarterbacks from his class, even if he was in a stacked quarterback room.
Milton’s Struggles During 2018-20 Tenure at Michigan
Milton didn’t see the field much during his first two years in Ann Arbor. He drew a redshirt during his true freshman year and served as the backup during his second season. However, in 2020, Milton finally got his chance to take over for the Wolverines.
During the COVID-shortened season, Milton appeared in five games, leading the team to a disappointing 2-3 record. Milton threw for four touchdowns against four interceptions and was erratic with his play all over the field.
2021-22 Season at Tennessee Shows Hope for Milton
After a disappointing 2020 season, Milton transferred to Tennessee with three years of eligibility remaining. Despite a crowded backfield that included Hendon Hooker, Harrison Bailey, Brian Maurer, and Kaidon Salter, Milton’s future looked strong in 2021 as he won the starting job exiting fall camp.
However, it was just two games into the 2021 season that disaster struck. Milton suffered an injury against Pittsburgh, and head coach Josh Heupel turned to Hooker as his quarterback. Despite recovering from his injury, Milton’s hand was dealt.
Heading into the 2022 season, Milton stuck with the Volunteers despite being slotted in as the backup to Hooker. For the first ten games, Hooker was lights out, leading the team to a 9-1 record while throwing for 2,888 yards and 24 touchdowns. Then, during a shootout against South Carolina, Hooker tore his ACL.
Milton would finish the game and was named the starter for the last two games of the season. The Volunteers would win their next two games, including the Orange Bowl against Clemson.
Milton finished 2022 with 971 yards and ten touchdowns through the air, along with 0 interceptions. This may not seem impressive on the surface, but Milton only threw 82 passes and completed 64.6% of them.
Will 2023 Reach Lofty Expectations for Milton?
Given what we’ve seen so far in Milton’s career, you can be cautiously optimistic for 2023.
Milton has the tools to be the next “great Volunteer quarterback,” but there are still questions about if he can finally piece things together.
While the offensive system is very friendly to quarterbacks at Tennessee, the lack of wide receiver talent compared to the last two seasons is clear. Despite losing Jalin Hyatt and Cedric Tillman to the NFL, Bru McCoy seems to have reached his potential and a cast of newcomers may become household names in 2023.
McCoy put up a 52-667-4 stat line, perhaps finally reaching his five-star pedigree. He was the ninth overall prospect in 2019 on both sides of the ball.
Considering all these factors, it’s safe to assume Milton can reach the 3,000-yard plateau with ease. Given the recent success of quarterbacks within head coach Josh Heupel’s system, 30 touchdowns isn’t out of the question either for Milton.
Although Milton has been a non-factor on the ground almost his whole career, the chances of him toppling 170 yards and four touchdowns on the ground are high. Even though Milton may not have a Heisman-level season, expect him to be a crucial part of another successful Tennessee season.
Joe Milton Player Profile
- Height: 6’1”
- Weight: 244
- Number: 7
- Class: Senior
- Hometown: Pahokee, Florida
- High School: Olympia
- Years Active: 2019-2022
- Previous School(s): Michigan
- Draft Eligibility: 2024
Joe Milton Career Passing Stats
- Career Games Played: 30
- Career Starts: 7
- Completions: 296
- Attempts: 171
- Completion Rate: 58%
- Yards: 2540
- TDs: 17
- INTs: 6
- Yards Per Game: 84.7
