Joe Milton III Listed In Heisman Odds Update

Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Joe Milton III is on the shortlist of best odds for the 2023 Heisman Trophy.

The Heisman Trophy is the holy grail of college football. It's the most famous individual award in collegiate athletics, and the winner is usually destined for big things in the NFL. 14 of the past 15 winners have been first-round draft picks, with the 2023 winner Caleb Williams being the odds-on favorite to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

One of the best things about the award is that we don't always see it coming. Sometimes, things click for certain players, and they climb to the mountaintop of college football. Joe Burrow at LSU is a fantastic example. Leading up to his final season with the Tigers, there were questions if he would be drafted. Fast forward to the end of 2020, and he was the no-doubt No. 1 overall pick. Many analysts are projecting a leap to superstardom for Tennessee quarterback Joe Milton III, enough for several outlets to list him among the preseason Heisman favorites.

• Caesar's Sportsbook: +1800
• FanDuel: +2000
• SI Sportsbook: +1700

Sources around the program feel confident Milton will take a leap this season. While it's a bit premature to automatically pencil him in for a drastic improvement, Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel made Landry Jones the all-time statistical leader at Oklahoma. That program boasts three quarterbacks who went No. 1 overall and made it to second contracts in the NFL. Missouri had the SEC's best offense when he was at the helm, and McKenzie Milton lit college football on fire at UCF with... Heupel.

If there's anyone who can get the most out of Milton's raw tools, it's Heupel. The pairing has a strong foundational base - Milton is 6-5 and 245 pounds with the strongest arm in college football. There are areas to improve, namely his anticipatory throwing. Can he consistently throw outside the numbers? Can he take speed off his ball? Can he feel the pocket better? If he delivers a resounding yes to all these question marks, we could be looking at a first-round draft pick.

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