The Tennessee Vols started the 2021 season with Joe Milton as QB1, but it didn't take long for Hendon Hooker to prove he was the better option for UT.

Milton has played sparingly since Hooker took a stronghold on the starting quarterback job earlier this season.

Moving forward, it's fairly obvious that Milton, while immensely talented, doesn't have what it takes to be a starting quarterback in the SEC.

However, he still has two years of eligibility remaining after the 2021 season. He's already transferred once (from Michigan to Tennessee), so it seems likely that he'll stick around in Knoxville for his final two years of eligibility.

The expectation, for now, is that Hooker will return to Tennessee and lead the Vols' offense in 2022. But if he forgoes his final year of eligibility to enter the NFL draft, it will leave the Vols without a proven option at the quarterback position.

Milton is currently the only other scholarship quarterback on the roster. He'll be joined next season by true freshman Tayven Jackson. It's unlikely that Josh Heupel will hand the reins to either of those quarterbacks in the event that Hooker isn't at UT next season.

It's much more likely that Heupel will scour the transfer portal for a quarterback (or maybe multiple quarterbacks).

Joe Milton is too talented to waste

I think most folks agree that Milton shouldn't be a starting quarterback for the Volunteers.

But he's also too talented to waste away on the bench. Milton has the elite size and athleticism combination that coaches dream of at night.

So what should Tennessee do with Milton?

It might be wise for Heupel to look to his past for a solution.

Heupel experienced a similar situation when he was the offensive coordinator at Oklahoma in 2014.

The Sooners dealt with an unsettled quarterback situation in 2013 between Trevor Knight and Blake Bell. Knight eventually proved to be the better option. Instead of burying Bell on the depth chart, Oklahoma moved him to tight end for his senior season.

Bell ended up catching 16 passes for 214 yards and four touchdowns.

Modest numbers at best, but NFL teams saw enough upside in Bell to make him a mid-round selection in the 2015 NFL Draft (the San Fransico 49ers drafted Bell in the fourth round).

Bell has enjoyed a six-year career in the NFL thanks to his position switch at Oklahoma.

Milton could benefit from a similar move. He has the size (6-foot-5/244 lbs) and speed (he reportedly runs the 40-yard dash in the 4.6 range) to play tight end. While we have no idea how it would work out, it's certainly worth a try, right?

Maybe Milton ends up being a star tight end for the Vols. He has two years of eligibility remaining, so he'd have plenty of time to learn the position. Who knows, Milton could end up bringing up a brand new element to Heupel's already potent offense.

If Milton is playing at quarterback for the Vols in 2022, the offense won't be operating at its full potential.

Heupel might as well try him at tight end. If it doesn't work out, Tennessee hasn't lost anything. It's a small gamble that could pay major dividends for the Vols.

Featured image via Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports