In the 2024 draft, five years after the departure of legendary quarterback Tom Brady, the New England Patriots final found their quarterback of the future — drafting North Carolina signal caller Drake Maye with the third overall pick. But the Patriots were not done drafting quarterbacks.
To the surprise of most every NFL expert, the Patriots used a sixth-round pick, No. 193 overall, to draft Tennessee quarterback and 2022 Orange Bowl MVP Joe Milton III.
Milton would join a quarterback room already populated by Maye, veteran Jacoby Brissett and 2022 fourth-round pick Bailey Zappe. The Patriots ultimately chose Milton over Zappe, cutting the former Western Kentucky QB who was soon picked up by the Cleveland Browns.
Patriots QB Room Short by One, Until New Signing
But Milton still could not get any in-game snaps — until the final game of the season when he led the Patriots to victory over a Buffalo Bills squad consisting mainly of reserve players.
Milton was so impressive in that game, he instantly became the subject of seemingly non-stop trade rumors. In early April, the Patriots made those rumors come true, dealing Milton to the Dallas Cowboys after signing former San Francisco Giants free agent quarterback Josh Dobbs to a two-year, $8 million contract to back up Maye.
That still left the New England quarterback room one short. A third quarterback in the injury-riddled NFL is a necessity, even if only to lead the practice squad which Milton did for most of last season. And yet, the Patriots this time around did not use a late round draft pick, or any draft pick, to take a new quarterback.
They did not wait long to remedy that situation once the draft wrapped up on Saturday. The Patriots appear to have found their Milton replacement by signing Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns quarterback Ben Woolridge as an undrafted free agent.
Though plagued by injuries last season and throughout his Louisiana career, Woolridge played in 11 games, completing 192 of his 291 passes for an impressive 2,453 yards and 17 touchdowns. With a 7-1 conference record, he led Louisiana to the best record in the Sun Belt Conference Western Division.
Injuries kept him out of the Sun Belt championship game, which the Cajuns lost to Marshall 31-3. But he came back for the New Mexico Bowl against Texas Christian. Playing in his first game in six weeks, Woolridge was held to seven completions in 20 attempts with an interception — only his sixth of the season — as Louisiana again suffered a one-sided 34-3 defeat.
New Pats QB Earned Sun Belt Conference Honors
But Woolridge’s season was good enough to earn him Offensive Player of the Year honors in the Sun Belt Conference.
A native of Pleasanton, California who played two seasons at Fresno State, starting back in 2018, before completing his college career with three more at Louisiana, the six-foot-three, 216-pound Woolridge can also run with the ball, though perhaps not as effectively as Milton.
Woolridge gained 461 yards in 134 carries in his college career. But having endured a torn ACL, collarbone and foot injuries, the Sun Belt 2024 leader in passing yards per attempt (8.4) appears to have caught the attention of New England’s new head coach Mike Vrabel with his perseverance and never-quit attitude.
Those qualities surely impressed Vrabel who has spoken often of his intention to build a new culture in the Patriots organization.
