Vols QB Joe Milton comes in at No. 1 in key rankings from national media outlet
Redshirt senior Joe Milton is expected to serve as the Tennessee Vols' starting quarterback in 2023. Milton was initially named the Vols' starter at the beginning of the 2021 season. But Milton suffered an injury in Tennessee's second game in 2021 (against Pittsburgh) which forced Hendon Hooker into action. Hooker took hold of the job […]
Redshirt senior Joe Milton is expected to serve as the Tennessee Vols' starting quarterback in 2023.
Milton was initially named the Vols' starter at the beginning of the 2021 season. But Milton suffered an injury in Tennessee's second game in 2021 (against Pittsburgh) which forced Hendon Hooker into action.
Hooker took hold of the job and never looked back.
Milton started the final two games of the 2022 season after Hooker suffered a torn ACL in the Vols' shocking loss to the South Carolina Gamecocks. The Florida native led Tennessee to a road win against Vanderbilt and a win against Clemson in the Orange Bowl.
One of Milton's biggest strengths is his ridiculous arm strength. The former Michigan transfer can nearly get the ball to the end zone from the opposite red zone area.
It shouldn't be much of a surprise that Milton is listed at No. 1 in 247Sports' recent rankings of the "biggest arms" in college football.
From 247Sports: This guy's in a category all by his lonesome. Milton gets so much torque through his strong lower and upper body that there's noticeable juice — and distance — on his throws. If power's what you're looking for, Milton checks the box. His yards per attempt average (20.9) last fall led all Power Five signal-callers as he finished with eight touchdowns and no interceptions. Glancing at last season's Tennessee film at the quarterback position, one of Hendon Hooker's best throws was the long toss in the corner of the end zone at LSU. You know that throw — the one from midfield to the middle of the bread basket. Milton can disintegrate the second level of a defense like that with similar ease (and the Tennessee offense hopes he does so this fall as QB1).
Milton wasn't the only Vol quarterback that made 247Sports' rankings. True freshman quarterback Nico Iamaleava came in at No. 9 on 247Sports' list.
From 247Sports: This true freshman and former five-star recruit rated as the second-best player in the 2023 cycle has a tall and slender frame and uses his arm like a slingshot from the pocket. Iamaleava's inclusion was based heavily on information gathered from those who have watched him throughout the spring and on the recruiting circuit. He passes the eye test up close. Greg Biggins, a 247Sports recruiting analyst, noted in his evaluation of Iamaleava that he's always had a "big arm" but changes speeds with fluidity now. Iamaleava's arm is stronger than fellow five-star and 2023 headliner Arch Manning and SEC fans are going to see him in action soon enough this fall behind Joe Milton in Knoxville.
I'd say the Vols are in good shape when it comes to the quarterback position.
