Joe Milton, NOT Drake Maye, Is The Patriots Next Great Quarterback
The speculation from writers and Patriots fans alike was wild and as varied as it could be regarding how they would use the third overall pick and address the quarterback position. One thought process was to trade the pick for more picks. The Minnesota Vikings seemed like a good partner, having two first-round picks in this draft to offer.
According to mock drafts, the quarterback who should lead the next generation of New England Patriots could have been anyone. The only sure thing was that it would not be Caleb Williams. He was going to be the first pick, and nobody knew what would happen after that. What did happen is that they drafted their next great quarterback, and it might not be Drake Maye.
How The Draft Played Out
The Patriots chose not to trade out of the third spot, even after the Washington Commanders selected their alleged top target, Jayden Daniels. Instead, they chose North Carolina Tar Heel Drake Maye. While some New England fans rejoiced, others threw their arms up in despair, and some hedged their predictions by saying, "We'll see in time."
Two days later, in round six (pick 193, to be exact), the Patriots took Tennessee quarterback Joe Milton. They signed former player Jacoby Brissett to a one-year deal this off-season, and they still have 2022 fourth-round pick Bailey Zappe on the roster. Maybe the plan is to keep three quarterbacks on the roster, or someone will lose their job. Time will tell.
Tale Of The Tape
2022 was a fantastic season for Drake Maye. He completed 66.2% of his passes for 4,321 yards and 38 touchdowns with just seven interceptions. There was talk that he could have been a top pick in the 2023 NFL draft if he were eligible, but he was not. Last year for the Tar Heels, he completed 63.3% of his passes for 3,608 yards and 24 touchdowns, with nine interceptions.
Though his numbers declined, and on paper, he did not look like he belonged in the same conversation as the other top picks, it is worth noting he was playing on a team void of talent, particularly at wide receiver. He is of tremendous size, has excellent mobility, and has a decent arm. He will need time to learn the NFL game and adjust to the NFL speed, but he has all the raw tools to be successful.
Bazooka Joe, as Milton is called, started his college career in Michigan but did not get a chance to play, so he transferred to Tennessee. Injuries cost him a season, and the only entire season he got to play was last year as a sixth-year senior. He completed 64.7% of his passes for 2,813 yards, 20 touchdowns, and five interceptions. Even though he has the best arm in the 2024 class, his size has some folks thinking he will transition to tight end, which makes no sense.
History Repeating Itself
It would not be the first time in the NFL that a team had taken two quarterbacks in the same draft, with the latter ending up the starter. It would also not be the first time the New England Patriots found a signal caller in round six. These things have a way of coming back cyclically, almost as if history tends to repeat itself.
In the 2012 NFL Draft, the then-Washington Redskins, selected quarterback Robert Griffin III with the second overall pick. They not only selected Griffin here, they traded away a boatload to choose him here (3 first-round picks and a second-round pick). With so much invested in their new young quarterback, they decided to draft a quarterback three rounds later, Michigan State's Kirk Cousins.
Griffin would battle injuries, and Cousins would become the team's full-time starter, being franchised twice before signing a lucrative, fully guaranteed contract with the Minnesota Vikings. Ironic that Cousins is heavily invested in by the Atlanta Falcons this offseason, before the team drafts a promising quarterback in Michael Penix Jr. Kirk was not happy about that.
The story of the 199th pick who became the most outstanding player in NFL history has been told more times than can be counted, and not just in Massachusetts. Even if he never becomes Tom Brady, Brock Purdy was the last draft pick just a couple of years ago and is currently a top 5 quarterback in the league. It's not where you start; it's where you finish, and Joe Milton can make a historic run at the finish line.
Whether Maye gets hurt is a plain bust, or if Milton realizes his true potential is unclear. Without a crystal ball, it's impossible to predict the future. Spoiler Alert: It's impossible even if you own a crystal ball. Worst investment I ever made. What is clear is that the New England Patriots now have two exceptionally talented and exceptionally raw quarterbacks on their roster. Which one am I rooting for? Whichever leads to us getting a docuseries called "The Dynasty: Part 2."
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