Former Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Joe Milton made some comments about the UT football program this week at New England Patriots camp that should be used as a recruitment pitch for the Volunteers.
Milton, the Patriots’ sixth-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, was asked by a reporter what has astonished him the most since being picked.
The former Vol stated that nothing has surprised him because of how Tennessee prepared him for the next level.
“To be honest with you, nothing,” said Milton. “I feel like Tennessee has prepared me and the rest of my teammates that come from there how to operate as a man — outside of the building [and] inside of the building. Just how much time Tennessee gave us off, it’s kind of the same thing like here (New England). Once you’re done in the building, you’re pretty much done. Whatever you do the rest of your day is what you do. You’re basically just a regular human being. So at that point, how you take care of your body, how you eat, how you operate, what you study. Like if you go home and the installs are already on the iPad and you don’t study, I don’t think you want to come in the next day. Just being able to prepare yourself for the next day.”
“I feel like Tennessee has prepared me and the rest of my teammates that come from there how to operate as a man, outside of the building, inside the building.” — Former Tennessee QB Joe Milton (🎥: New England Patriots) pic.twitter.com/AKziQaOjEa
— zach ragan (@zachTNT) July 27, 2024
There is a lot of discussion about how different collegiate offensive systems prepare players for the NFL. And that might absolutely be beneficial. If you’ve come from a pro-style system, you’ll probably adapt to an NFL system more quickly.
But, ultimately, being prepared for the NFL is about how you conduct yourself as a professional. Can you complete the work when no one is looking? Will you work harder than the guy drafted ahead of you? Will you accomplish more than is required when no one is looking?
Tennessee instills a work ethic in its players, which genuinely prepares them for the NFL.
Because here’s the problem about offensive systems: players are constantly adjusting to new ones. Every NFL season brings new adjustments and twists. New employees, new plans, new terminology, etc. Good football players must be able to adjust to new systems, regardless of where they attended college.
It’s the little things that frequently go undetected — how badly you want to win every day of the week and how hard you’re willing to work to make sure you win — that help turn a struggling NFL player into a star.
That is why Tennessee is currently regarded as one of the best places for young elite players.