Former Vols QB Joe Milton's highlight reel shows exactly what can make him a real NFL weapon

It was an eventful first NFL game for former Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Joe Milton . He was fourth in the rotation for the New England Patriots behind Jacoby Brissett, Drake Maye, and Bailey Zappe, but had at least three exciting plays that showed what he can become in the NFL.

It's obviously too early to draw definitive conclusions, but the sixth-round pick had a promising preseason debut, completing four of six passes for 54 yards, a touchdown, plus five rushing attempts for 22 yards.

"We know he has a big arm. He has the athleticism," said Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo. "He's getting better with his reads every single day. He has natural leadership ability. But once again, it's not just about one game; it's about the full body of work. You can come out here and play well but you also have to do it on a day-to-day basis, in practice and you've got to gain the confidence of not only the coaches but also your teammates. And this was a step forward for him."

Brissett and Maye, the main Patriots quarterbacks, played a drive each. Zappe and Milton split the rest of the reps .

"Zappe went out there, look, he's won games in the NFL before," Mayo explained. "But then just putting Joe in at a time where we needed a spark and he provided that spark, which I thought was good."

Running ability

Joe Milton is a special athlete, and he showed that running around to convert a first down on a 2nd & 5. It was a designed pass play with playaction, but after he didn't find any open receivers, Milton evaded defenders and ran to gain 12 yards — even though he ran for almost 35 yards.

Pocket movement

Joe Milton's athleticism is also evident in other areas of his game. In this play, a 1st & 15, he stepped up in the pocket escaping from edge pressure from both sides, faked a deep throw, and ran to get close to the first down line.

Strong arm

Everybody knows that Joe Milton has wild arm strength, and that's one of the most appealing attributes of his game. He showed it in his touchdown pass to rookie wide receiver JaQuae Jackson. The target was wide open, but Milton made sure that the ball would be there as quickly as possible with a laser.

Joe Milton's next opportunity will come next Thursday, when the New England Patriots host the Philadelphia Eagles at Gillette Stadium in week 2 of preseason football.

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