Joe Milton III

Joe Milton III was drafted by the New England Patriots in the sixth round (193rd overall) of the 2024 NFL Draft.

CAREER TRANSACTIONS

Joe Milton III was drafted by the New England Patriots in the sixth round (193rd overall) of the 2024 NFL Draft.

HONORS AND AWARDS

Individual Awards (Season)

• Reese's Senior Bowl Invitee (2023)
• Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Semifinalist (2023)
• Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Top 25 Candidate (2023)
• Capital One Orange Bowl MVP (2022)

COLLEGE

Redshirt Senior Year – Sixth Year (2023):

• Started all 12 regular season games at quarterback (8-4 record), completing 229-of-354 (.647) passes for 2,813 yards with 20 touchdowns and five interceptions.
• Also showcased his mobility throughout the year with a career-best 299 rushing yards (24.9 per game) while averaging 3.8 yards per carry.
• His seven rushing touchdowns were the most by a Tennessee quarterback in a single campaign since Joshua Dobbs had 12 in 2016.
• Finished with 3,112 yards of total offense, representing the third straight season a Tennessee QB has eclipsed the 3,000 mark and the eighth-best total in school history.
• Threw multiple touchdowns in six games and rushed for and passes for a score in the same game five times.
• Fired five 50+ yard passes during the year, which ranked second in the SEC.
• Did not play in the Citrus Bowl but practiced and supported his teammates all Bowl month.
• Delivered the best performance of his career on Senior Day, accounting for 394 total yards and six touchdowns to lead the Vols past Vanderbilt (11/25).
• Completed 22-of-33 passes for a career-high 383 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions through the air and added a pair of 2-yard rushing scores against the Commodores and was named Maxwell Award National Player of the Week for his efforts.
• His six touchdowns responsible for were the most in a single game by a Vol since Jonathan Crompton had six (five passing, one rushing) on Nov. 7, 2009, and he was the first Vol to accomplish the feat in an SEC game since Erik Ainge had seven passing TDs against Kentucky in a triple-overtime contest on Nov. 24, 2007.
• Became the only Vol this century with six total touchdowns in a regulation SEC game, as well as the only Vol with four-plus passing touchdowns and multiple rushing touchdowns in any game since 2000.
• Joined Hendon Hooker (five vs. Alabama in 2022) and Joshua Dobbs (four vs. Florida in 2016) as the only Vol QBs in the past decade with four passing touchdowns in an SEC contest.
• Surpassed 200 completions on the year vs. No. 1 Georgia (11/18), connecting on 17-of-30 passes for 147 yards.
• Connected with Squirrel White and Ramel Keyton on touchdown throws of 83 and 60 yards, respectively, for UT's two longest pass plays of the season against UConn, and his 83-yard strike to Squirrel White was Tennessee's longest pass play since 2006 (Erik Ainge to Robert Meachem, 84 yards vs. Memphis State).
• His 85.0 completion percentage against Kentucky was the highest by a Vol in an SEC game (min. 20 att.) since 2016.
• Posted 330 yards of total offense (271 pass, 59 rush) at No. 11/8 Alabama (10/21) and completed a UT career-high 28 passes on 41 attempts, which included a pair of touchdown passes in the first half.
• Amassed 298 yards of total offense (209 passing, 89 rushing) with two passing touchdowns and a rushing score in win vs. UTSA (9/23).
• His rushing touchdown against the UTSA was an 81-yard dash on a read option on UT's first play from scrimmage, the longest run by a quarterback in Tennessee history and tied for the 10th-longest rush by a Vol in program history.
• Completed 20-of-34 passes and tallied a UT career-high 287 yards at Florida (9/16) with two passing touchdowns and one interception.
• Fired 11 consecutive completions over the course of two scoring drives in the second quarter against Austin Peay, the ninth-longest completion streak in UT history.
• Accounted for four total touchdowns (two passing, two rushing) and 234 yards of total offense in the season opener vs. Virginia (9/2) to earn SEC Co-Offensive Player of the Week honors.
• In the win vs. UVA, became the first Vol with at least two passing TDs and two rushing TDs in the same game against a Power 5 opponent since Joshua Dobbs accomplished the feat vs. Missouri on Nov. 19, 2016.

Redshirt Senior Year (2022):

• Tennessee's backup quarterback to Hendon Hooker and was thrust into action as the starter in the final two games of the year following Hooker's ACL injury.
• Played in nine total games and did not see action vs. Pitt, Florida, LSU and Georgia.
• Tallied 1,048 yards of total offense.
• Completed 53- of-82 (.650) passes for 971 yards and 10 touchdowns with no interceptions …
• Added 77 carries for 18 yards on the ground.
• Of the 114 FBS QBs to throw 10 or more touchdown passes, was the only one to have zero picks.
• Tied for eighth in the nation in 50+ yard passes with seven.
• Capped the year by leading the Vols to an Orange Bowl victory in his home state in which he was named MVP after firing 19-of-28 passes for 251 yards and a career-high-tying three touchdowns vs. Clemson (12/30), connecting on TD passes of 16-, 14- and 46-yards in the win, including the game-winner to Ramel Keyton in the fourth quarter.
• Led UT to victory in his first start of the season in the regular season finale at Vanderbilt (11/26), going 11-of-21 passing for 147 yards and a touchdown to Walker Merrill, while finding Jalin Hyatt on a 61-yard bomb on the opening drive of the game for his longest completion of the night.
• Entered after Hooker's injury at South Carolina (11/19) in the fourth quarter and went 4-of-8 passing for 108 yards and a touchdown pass to Cedric Tillman.
• Showed off his cannon against Missouri (11/12), attempting just three passes in the second half but tallying 105 yards and a touchdown through the air.
• Excellent as a reserve against Akron (9/17), going 4-for-5 passing for 112 yards and a pair of touchdowns, the first a 57-yard shot to Ramel Keyton followed by a 38-yard connection with Walker Merrill.
• Entered as a reserve and played 23 offensive snaps in the second half of season opener vs. Ball State (9/1), going 8-of-9 passing for 113 yards and a TD.

Redshirt Junior Year (2021):

• Served as the Vols' starting quarterback for the first two games of the year (1-1) before being the backup for the final 11 contests.
• Played in eight games; did not play against Tennessee Tech, South Carolina, Alabama, Kentucky and the Music City Bowl vs. Purdue.
• Completed 32-of-61 passes for 375 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions and rushed for 129 yards and two scores.
• Tallied 504 yards of total offense and four touchdowns accounted for on the season.
• Completed 5-of-7 passing for 32 yards vs. South Alabama (11/20) and led an 80-yard scoring drive in the fourth quarter.
• Played late vs. No. 1 Georgia (11/13) and completed six passes for 88 yards and a touchdown to Cedric Tillman.
• Hit on the longest pass of his career against UGA, a 53-yard completion to Tillman in the fourth quarter.
• Took over late for an injured Hendon Hooker vs. No. 13 Ole Miss (10/16), completing 1-of-2 passes for 12 yards and adding 13 yards on the ground, nearly leading the Vols to a miraculous comeback in the final seconds against the Rebels.
• Entered late against Mizzou (10/2), posting two rushes for 39 yards with a long of 32.
• Was 7-of-12 passing for 50 yards and added a career-long 54-yard rush in limited action in start against Pitt (9/11) before exiting with an injury, with his 54-yard dash being the longest by a Vols' QB since Joshua Dobbs had a 70-yard run against Missouri on Nov. 18, 2016.
• Completed 11-of-23 passes for 139 yards and a touchdown, adding 44 yards rushing and two rushing touchdowns in a season-opening start against Bowling Green (9/2), becoming the first UT QB to rush for multiple touchdowns in his first UT start since Alan Cockrell on Sept. 19, 1981, against Colorado State.

Redshirt Sophomore Year (2020 – Michigan):

• Played in all six games and was the starting quarterback for Michigan in five contests during the COVID-19 shortened season.
• Owned a 2-3 record as a starter.
• Completed 80-of-141 pass attempts for 1,077 yards with four touchdowns and four interceptions to earn his third varsity letter.
• In the first start of his career at Minnesota (10/24), completed 15-of-22 pass attempts for 225 yards with one touchdown, and added eight rushes for 58 years and a score.
• Completed 32-of-51 passes for 300 yards in start against Michigan State (10/31) with 59 yards added on the ground.
• Went 18-of-34 passing for 344 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions in start at Indiana (11/7), including a 52-yard connection, his longest.
• Threw two interceptions on 9-of-19 passing in start against Wisconsin (11/14), and added 15 yards on the ground.
• Started at Rutgers (11/21) and went 5-of-12 passing for 89 yards.
• Completed 1-of-3 pass attempts in relief action against Penn State (11/28).

Redshirt Freshman Year (2019 – Michigan):

• Appeared in four games as the backup quarterback.
• Completed 3-of-7 passes for 59 yards with one touchdown and ran five times for 16 yards to earn his second varsity letter.
• Set season highs on 3-of-4 passing for 59 yards and a touchdown against Rutgers (9/28), and ran for a 1-yard score.
• Saw snaps under center against Notre Dame (10/26).

Freshman Year (2018 – Michigan):

• Appeared in four games at quarterback and earned a redshirt.
• Completed 3-of-4 passes for 58 yards and rushed seven times for 31 yards and one touchdown to earn his first varsity letter.
• Co-recipient of the team's Scout Offensive Team Player of the Year Award.
• Twice named Offensive Scout Team Player of the Week, once for his role in preparing the defense for Western Michigan and once shared the honor after preparing the defense for Penn State.
• Made his Michigan debut against Wisconsin (10/13) and carried the ball twice for 22 yards.
• Played snaps at quarterback at Rutgers (11/10).
• Played at Ohio State (11/24) and completed 2-of-3 passes for 45 yards with an interception, including a 43-yard completion and also ran once for four yards.
• Saw action against Florida in the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl (12/29), running once for 11 yards and throwing one complete pass for 13 yards.

HIGH SCHOOL

• Attended Olympia High School in Orlando, Florida.
• Considered a 247Sports four-star prospect, ranked No. 172 prospect nationally, the No. 7 pro-style quarterback overall and the No. 31 prospect in Florida.
• Ranked by Rivals as a four-star recruit, the No. 11 quarterback prospect, the 35th-best prospect in Florida and the 189th-overall player nationally.
• Tabbed by ESPN as a four-star recruit, rated as the No. 111 player nationally, the No. 6 pro-style quarterback and the 25th-best prospect in Florida.
• Participated in the Elite 11 quarterback camp and Nike 2017 The Opening Regional combine.
• Completed 90-of-188 passes for 1,317 yards and 10 touchdowns with six interceptions as a senior.
• Also ran the ball 59 times for 262 yards and scored five rushing touchdowns in 2017.
• Threw for 1,543 yards and 17 touchdowns as a junior in 2016, completing 82-of-178 pass attempts.
• As a sophomore in 2015, completed 88-of-183 passes for 1,115 yards and eight touchdowns while scoring three rushing touchdowns.
• Coached by Kyle Hayes.

PERSONAL

• Son of DeShea Bouie, and is the oldest of seven children.
• Cousins with former NFL Pro Bowl wide receiver and Super Bowl Champion Anquan Boldin.
• Graduated with a bachelor's degree in American culture from the University of Michigan in May 2021.
• Currently pursuing another bachelor's degree at Tennessee in hospitality and tourism management.
• Moved to Orlando from Pahokee for his freshman year of high school.
• Was roommates with Hendon Hooker (now playing for the Detroit Lions) for two years.