Jordy McElroy
April 28, 2024 12:50 am ET
The New England Patriots entered the 2024 NFL draft with three quarterbacks on their roster, and they exited with five.
Most expected the team to try and lock down a franchise quarterback at the top of the draft board. They had the No. 3 overall pick, and North Carolina’s Drake Maye would likely be available. With Mac Jones being shipped out of town in free agency, it made sense for the Patriots to draft one of the top prospects and start over.
But it wasn’t just Maye the Patriots drafted.
The team also selected Tennessee quarterback Joe Milton at No. 193 in the sixth round on Saturday. It was a bold move for a Patriots team that’s seemingly determined to hit on a quarterback. Maye is obviously the more talented player, but Milton’s freakishly strong arm and scrambling abilities made him a sleeper on many boards.
It’s unknown if/how Maye and Milton will complement one another, or if it’ll just be an outright competition at training camp. The unknown still didn’t kill off the excitement from fans celebrating the possibility of a new duo in the quarterback room in place of Bailey Zappe and Mac Jones.
Here’s what people were saying about the move on social media:
Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe to Drake Maye and Joe Milton pic.twitter.com/3pvXJMZ99s
— Geoff (@PrimeGeoff) April 27, 2024
I talked during the pre-draft process about Joe Milton maybe being a package player. Hail Marys, QB sneaks, and maybe his own offensive set like Taysom Hill. Not that Drake Maye can’t do those things, but I could definitely see something like that in play.
— Alex Barth (@RealAlexBarth) April 27, 2024
DRAKE MAYE AND JOE MILTON?!?!
Its beautiful🥹🥹🥹🥹#NEPats https://t.co/WMWJYyOs51
— Tim Wilson (@_timwilson_) April 27, 2024
Drake Maye and Joe Milton 🤯🤯 maaaaannn
— Z.Y. (@ZyInJcskn) April 27, 2024
I could 100% see a Joe Milton package being put in play for NE.
Drake Maye is obviously the (future)starter but doing a QB power rush at the goal line or a straight Go Route play with Milton would be excellent https://t.co/YYuCHBZf12
— Colin Alger (@colin_alger1) April 27, 2024
Patriots took Drake Maye and Joe Milton!!! They clearly have a type!!
— 🦂 (@_zigmeister) April 27, 2024
With Drake Maye and Joe Milton throwing to Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker, I’m looking forward to watching #Patriots practices in May, June, July and August more than I ever have. Gonna be some buzz at Gillette this summer.
— Andy Hart (@JumboHart) April 27, 2024
Drake Maye’s run as my favorite QB on the roster is over. That title goes to Joe Milton
— Draft Day!!! 😤 (@The_NoCoat) April 27, 2024
Mac Jones checking in on Bailey Zappe after the Patriots drafted two QBs… pic.twitter.com/AN4qa02Wpq
— The Svenllama Harmony & Musical Companion (@svenllama) April 28, 2024
Patriots drafted two QBs with absolute cannons for an arm lmfao
— Shah ☘️ (@toolegendary) April 28, 2024
Going from Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe to Drake Maye and Joe Milton from an arm talent standpoint is like going from a Honda Pilot to a Cadillac https://t.co/YwRbyywNJk
— Brandon Carney (@BenchwarmerBran) April 27, 2024
Me when the Patriots take two qbs in the draft https://t.co/4Aw8ai3SbY pic.twitter.com/mQeB1FLM0j
— 🫡 Minoru-kun🫶 (@Minoru79) April 27, 2024
As a Patriot fan and having to watch the last few years, I can appreciate getting two QBs who can really throw the crap out of the football. Surely one of them will work out!
— Tony Henderson (@TonyRHenderson) April 27, 2024
QB’s on the Patriots roster that are better than Mac:
1. Drake Maye
2. Joe Milton
3. Jacoby BrissettZappe~Mac
— Mayor McCheese (@THEKevin_Kelly) April 27, 2024
Backup QB "Bazooka" Joe Milton to the #Patriots in the #NFLDraft . The final nail in "Zappe Fever".
Never have to see either of those two QBs from the horror show of past two years in Foxboro ever again.
Time to trade Zappe for a ham sandwich.
— Hal B (@halbent01) April 27, 2024
Patriots took two QBs in this draft. Same amount as the Seahawks in 14 years.
— 🏈🔥G HAWK🔥🏈 (@TEXASEAHAWK) April 27, 2024
We got Drake Maye and Joe Milton!!! Sorry Zappe but you are the weakest link in the @patriots QB room, Goodbye! To go from the QB’s we had last season, to now….WOW!! https://t.co/T8QFRY05AU
— Captain Kimono (@AverageatBest22) April 28, 2024
Going from Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe to Drake Maye and Joe Milton is like going from a vacation in Myrtle Beach to a vacation in the Turks and Caicos.
(I’m white trash so i’ve only been on vacation to Myrtle Beach but thats what i think it would be like to go to Turks)
— Colin (@cfaherty10) April 28, 2024
I like it. Can’t hurt to have Joe Milton in case Drake Maye turns into Mitchell Trubisky instead of Josh Allen.
— Spencer Krasch (@RichardDogood) April 28, 2024
Patriots confirmed for Hardknocks with these two QBs? Lol
— Dave Sturchio (@DaveSturchio) April 27, 2024
