Josh Palmer NFL Draft Overview
Position: Wide Receiver
Height: 6’1”
Weight: 210 pounds
School: University of Tennessee
Josh Palmer 2021 NFL Draft Profile
Josh Palmer didn’t have your typical journey to the NFL Draft. The Canadian-born Palmer grew up in Brampton, Ontario, which isn’t exactly known for producing top-level NFL talent. Interestingly enough, Palmer was a promising basketball and soccer prospect, with football being placed on the back burner. However, when Palmer and his family moved to Florida, the 6’1”, 210-pound wide receiver was introduced to the world of high school football. During his time at Saint Thomas Aquinas, to say his level of play on the field was impressive would be an understatement. Being the incredible athlete he is, Palmer quickly adapted to life on the football field, finishing his senior seasons with 506 receiving yards, 32 receptions, and eight touchdowns.
Now with football firmly in the driver’s seat, Palmer committed to Syracuse in January of 2017. However, the dominant wideout de-commited from the university, opening back up his recruitment. After fielding more offers from schools like Penn State, Palmer ultimately decided to attend the University of Tennessee. During his first season with the Volunteers, Palmer recorded double-digit receiving yards as the team began working him into the offense. In 2018, Palmer showed immense improvement. Palmer finished with 484 total receiving yards and three touchdowns, averaging 21 yards per catch. In 2019, Palmer continued to shine, while still operating in Marquez Callaway and Jauan Jennings’ shadows. The junior finished with over 400 total receiving yards and one touchdown on the season.
Going into his senior season, Palmer looked to improve his NFL Draft stock. However, the Tennessee offense struggled, citing inconsistent quarterback play as the chief issue. Despite his team’s offensive woes, Palmer still managed to lead the team in receiving yards and reach the end-zone four times. At the conclusion of his senior campaign, Palmer was invited to the Senior Bowl to showcase his skills in front of NFL personnel. While at the event, Palmer shined, showing NFL scouts why their organizations should taken chance on the young receiver.
Strengths
- Nice size for an NFL pass-catcher;
- Dependable route runner;
- Works the sidelines incredibly well;
- Tracks down the ball in the air and uses his excellent body control and impressive frame to make a play on the ball;
- Offers a quarterback a big-bodied target.
Weaknesses
- Speed and athleticism leaves a little to be desired;
- Struggles to get downfield to the deep throws;
- Lacks quick first step and burst necessary to play at the next level.
Player Comparison: Kelvin Benjamin
Teams With Need At The Position: Chicago Bears, Cincinnati Bengals, Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns, Kansas City Chiefs, Indianapolis Colts, Miami Dolphins, Philadelphia Eagles, Jacksonville Jaguars
Draft Projection: Fourth Round
Bottom Line on Josh Palmer
Josh Palmer’s size and body control alone should be enough to garner him a roster spot with an NFL team. His large frame should give quarterbacks a nice big-body target to look for in long-yardage situations. As for his athleticism, it’s clearly his biggest drawback. His lack of speed and inability to get down the field quick enough to receive deep throws could concern teams looking for wide receiver help later in the draft. If he can be in an offensive that favors his skill set and ability, similar to what happened at Tennessee, Palmer could have success at the next level as a fourth or fifth option on an NFL team.
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