There’s an abundance of debate about Tennessee quarterback Joe Milton III entering the 2023 college football season. After beginning the 2021 season as the Vols’ starting quarterback, Milton was injured in the first half of game two against Pitt and never regained his starting spot as Hendon Hooker shined in his place.
Milton struggled in those two games in 2021 and in his prior stint at Michigan. However, Milton was fantastic in limited opportunities behind Hooker a season ago, earned Orange Bowl MVP honors and boasts the best arm strength in college football.
This leads to varied opinions about the 6-foot-5, 242-pound signal caller as he enters his final collegiate season as the Vols’ starter.
Most view Milton as one of the nation’s five-to-15 best quarterbacks. But Mike Farrell of MikeFarrellSports.com doesn’t even view the Vols’ signal caller as a top 25 quarterback in the nation, ranking him No. 27 in his list of the 50 best quarterbacks in the country.
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Noteworthy names ahead of Milton are Georgia’s Carson Beck (No. 22), Kentucky’s Devin Leary (No. 23), Clemson’s Cade Klubnik (No. 21), Duke’s Riley Leonard (No. 15), Western Kentucky’s Austin Reed (No. 13), Purdue’s Hudson Card (No. 11) and Ohio’s Kurtis Rourke (No. 26).
Ok people have at it… pic.twitter.com/hJ4hn6XXMs
— Mike Farrell (@mfarrellsports) July 28, 2023
Tennessee coach Josh Heupel has had top quarterbacks consistently during his five years as a college head coach. His UCF and Tennessee quarterbacks have ranked in the top 10 in passing yards four times and in the top 20 all five years.
Betting against Milton being a top 25 quarterback, at least statistically, is a bold wager.
While Farrell is low on Milton, many analysts are high on the super senior. On3’s Andy Staples and Jesse Simonton did a college quarterback draft ahead of the season and Staples selected Milton with the fourth overall pick.
Milton completed 65% of his passes for 971 yards, 10 touchdowns and no interceptions a season ago including a 19-for-28, 251 yard and three touchdown performance against Clemson in the Orange Bowl.
Tennessee opens up fall practice Wednesday and begins its 2023 season against Virginia in Nashville on Sept. 2.
One Response
Not sure who Mike Farrell is or his qualifications to rank QBs, but it’s only his opinion.
For example I’d question ranking C. Beck, who has never started ANY game, much less a SEC game, ahead of Milton.
I’d like to make ‘ol Mike a wager on if Milton, barring unforeseen circumstances, would end the season as a top 25 QB in the country.