Tarique Milton, Texas Football News: Draft Scout Player News

04/13/21 - WR Tarique Milton, rSr/2023, Texas

It was a new experience for Tarique Milton. As his Iowa State football teammates stacked wins and accolades during the 2020 season, the junior wideout was just trying to get, and then stay, on the field. "For the first time in my life," he said this week, "I was an outsider." First it was an ankle injury and then a collarbone issue that kept Milton from fully experiencing last year's 9-3 season in which the Cyclones went to the Big 12 title game and won the Fiesta Bowl. Milton played in just half the games, robbing quarterback Brock Purdy and the Cyclone offense of its top returning wideout. "It was a little pain to watch, to be out, honestly," Milton said, "but there's no regret from it. I wouldn't change it if I could because I need that type of experience. "Being away really made me realize how important the game is to me, and I was willing to do anything, work harder to be back and make sure I can stay healthy. It gave me a different perspective."

Milton had 35 catches for 722 yards and three touchdowns as a sophomore in 2019, and his ability to hit big plays was something that was missed from the Iowa State offense in his intermittent absences. "Tarique has been an explosive player here," Iowa State wide receivers coach Nate Scheelhaase said. "He's made a ton of plays down the field. He's been a guy that can go and threaten people. He can threaten them with his speed and ability to make plays with the ball in his hand. "He's a guy that Brock has relied on. He's thrown big plays to him down the field, and again, he's a guy that definitely makes defensive backs back up. Any time you've got those guys out on the field, it's going to make things easier for even the other guys on your offense." - Des Moines Register

rSr/2023