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3 Patriots Draft Picks Who May Not Make the 53-Man Roster

Being drafted by an NFL team doesn't gurantee a job come September. With that in mind, here are three New England Patriots draft picks who may not make the 53-man roster.

By Devon Platana

QB Joe Milton is one Patriots draft pick who might not make the 53-man roster.
QB Joe Milton is one Patriots draft pick who might not make the 53-man roster. / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
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The future in Foxboro looks bright following the New England Patriots' 2024 NFL Draft performance. The Patriots kicked off the post-Bill Belichick era with a bang, loading up with eight promising rookies who are led by the likes of quarterback Drake Maye and wideout Ja'Lynn Polk.

But despite how much potential a rookie may have, cracking the 53-man roster isn't a certainty. While higher draft picks like Maye and Polk are practically guaranteed to be on next season's rosters, others have a lot to prove throughout training camp and the preseason to show that they belong, too.

Let's take a look at three of the Patriots' 2024 draft picks who might not make the 53-man roster next season.

1. Joe Milton, QB (Round 6, Pick 193)

The Patriots made it no secret as to who their next franchise quarterback would be, drafting Drake Maye out of UNC with the third-overall selection. Maye has all the tools to become one of the league's best signal-callers, leaving time to tell if he has what it takes to become the QB1 as early as this fall.

Maye wasn't the Patriots' only quarterback pick of the weekend, though. Management also opted to draft Tennessee QB Joe Milton with their second sixth-round pick. While he may not have the same ceiling as the ex-Tar Heel, Milton appears to have the tools to become the team's QB2 one day.

Having said that, Milton is guaranteed to make next season's 53-man roster. After all, in addition to their new rookie QBs, the Patriots also have the likes of Jacoby Brissett and Bailey Zappe on their roster. Brissett is the likely starter until Maye is ready, while Zappe could wind up sticking around as the QB3 due to his experience with the franchise (even if it isn't the best).

Given that Milton is far from an NFL-ready prospect, I wouldn't be shocked if he opens the year on the practice squad. Barring any serious injuries (or cuts) to the QBs ahead of him, it's more likely that he spends Year 1 learning and getting practice reps in before a potentially bigger role in 2025.

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