New England Patriots de facto general manager Eliot Wolf admitted former Tennessee quarterback Joe Milton III’s rare physical traits, including his size, rocket arm and athleticism, all factored into the team drafting him at No. 193 overall.
Why not take a flier on a quarterback that was 6-foot-5 and 245 pounds with the ability to throw the ball out of the building?
That was essentially Wolf’s reasoning, when appearing on “The Adam Schefter Podcast” on Tuesday.
“I had the opportunity to watch Joe play live the last game of the year against Vanderbilt. I got there really early and watched him warm up, and just watching him throw the football is unbelievable,” said Wolf. “I mean, he’s 6-5, 245 pounds. He’s got a rocket for an arm. He’s athletic. He played in [Josh] Heupel’s offense there, which is not an NFL offense, but we feel like there’s some things that we can work with and develop. It was just one of those picks where, you know, there was too much talent in him to pass that up.”
The addition of Milton initially had the Patriots with five quarterbacks on their roster. However, on Monday, they announced the release of backup Nathan Rourke.
Naturally, Bailey Zappe’s spot on the roster has come into question, particularly if Milton performs well at training camp. It could lead to a depth chart of Drake Maye, Jacoby Brissett and Milton.
One thing is certain: The competition will be as fierce as it’s ever been at the Patriots’ quarterback position.