Football Recruiting

Class of 2017 3-star wide receiver Joshua Palmer commits to Syracuse

Syracuse picked up a commitment Wednesday afternoon from Class of 2017, three-star wide receiver Joshua Palmer.

The St. Thomas Aquinas (Florida) High School senior became SU’s second receiver in as many days when he picked the Orange over offers from Louisville, Maryland, Pittsburgh and Michigan. Quick receiver Nykeim Johnson out of Washington D.C. committed Tuesday.

The 6-foot-3, 190-pound Palmer is ranked with three stars by Scout.com and 247Sports.com’s composite rating system. The Fort Lauderdale native is the nation’s 77th best receiver in the 2017 class, according to Scout. He has a 30.5-inch vertical, per his Hudl.com profile.

Keith Palmer, Joshua’s father, posted his son’s 40-yard dash time at 4.44 seconds in a 2015 highlight clip posted on YouTube. That aligns with the social media campaign, #OrangeIsTheNewFast, that Dino Babers’ staff has been running. Johnson reportedly ran a 4.42-second 40-yard dash.



Palmer moved from Brampton, Ontario to Florida last summer. Tyrell Richards, the Canadian linebacker who committed to SU on June 18, is also from Brampton. They did not attend the same high school.

Palmer is the sixth commit to the Class of 2017, which lost preferred walk-on fullback Connor Koch earlier Wednesday. Palmer is the third receiver, joining fellow Floridian Sharod Johnson as well as Nykeim Johnson. Four of the six commits are offensive skill players.

By the time Palmer gets to the program, if everyone uses their year of eligibility as anticipated, Syracuse will have five seniors (Steve Ishmael, Jamal Custis, Sean Avant, Clay Austin, Troy Green), three juniors (Kenterius Womack, Nesean Crofford, Adly Enoicy) and two sophomores (Tyler Gilfus, Moe Neal).

In the same scenario, there will be three wide receiver/running backs: seniors Ervin Philips and juniors Tyrone Perkins and Dontae Strickland.

Track the entire Class of 2017 here.

Here is his junior year highlight film, via Hudl:





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