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Former Vols QB Joe Milton makes big statement about how Tennessee prepared him for the NFL

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Zach Ragan | Last updated Jun 5, 2024 2:41 AM ET

Former Tennessee Vols quarterback Joe Milton, a sixth round selection by the New England Patriots in the 2024 NFL Draft, made some comments on Tuesday that UT head coach Josh Heupel and his staff should enjoy hearing.

While speaking with reporters on Tuesday at Patriots minicamp, Milton discussed how Tennessee effectively prepared him for life in the NFL.

"Tennessee, you know, you learn how to grow up fast," said Milton." We kind of had the same schedule how we have it here -- do everything in the morning and then your whole afternoon you're off. Other than the rookie player development meetings. But other than that, Tennessee, they set you up for the NFL. You know, just the time off and how you manage your time, how you take care of your body, the way that you study. You have to be ready for it. Because at Tennessee, we ran a fast paced offense. You have to understand where guys are going and what they're doing. So same thing as here, you have to understand where guys are going and be able to say in the huddle...but it don't matter where you go, Tennessee is gonna set you up for success."

There's been a narrative over the last three years that Tennessee's offense doesn't translate to the NFL. And while it's true that there are plenty of differences in what Tennessee does offensively (the same is true at many college programs...maybe even most) from what NFL teams do, there are other ways that UT sets players up for success in the NFL.

Knowing how to manage your time, how to study film, how to take care of your body via nutrition/training -- those are all things that future NFL players need to know how to do efficiently. And it's clear from Milton's comments on Tuesday that he feels prepared for the NFL (at least as prepared as a rookie can be) because he played for the Volunteers.

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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