Milton rocketed into fame during the 2017 season, rightfully so. After completing 57.7 percent of his passes and averaging 5.9 yards per attempt in 2016, Milton vaulted into the Heisman conversation last season with a ridiculous set of statistics in standard box-score numbers and PFF’s advanced signature statistics. He finished the 2017 season with 37 touchdown passes and 4,037 yards against just nine interceptions and held the nation’s highest standard passer rating among returning quarterbacks at 123.0. His passer rating of 129.8 on all “aimed” throws also was 37.3 points higher than the college average when removing throwaways, spikes, passes on which he was hit as he threw and passes batted at the line of scrimmage.
But he was no dink-and-dunk quarterback as strong accuracy numbers might lead some to believe, as he recorded 37 big-time throws (our highest-graded throws on an individual play level), five more than the next-highest returning quarterback (Missouri’s Drew Lock, 32). Obviously, McKenzie was a real threat to test defenses downfield as he also holds the nation’s top returning passer rating on deep throws (20-plus yards) at 131.3. He completed 51 of 91 deep pass attempts for 1,812 and 21 touchdowns, setting the PFF college record for most deep passing yards in a season.
He also fielded an adjusted completion percentage on deep passes of 59.3, the highest of all returning quarterbacks and second highest in the nation to Baker Mayfield, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. McKenzie wasn’t just heaving up shots and letting a talented supporting cast do its thing, he was maneuvering balls to where only his receivers could bring them in and doing so with great success.
