Josh Palmer is champing at the bit to get to work after being selected No. 77 overall by the Los Angeles Chargers in the 2021 NFL Draft.
The native of Brampton, Ont. received a phone call from the Chargers just prior to the pick being announced, which was caught on video and posted on the team’s Twitter account.
“I feel like I’ve been watching you for three months going against all these top DBs,” said head coach Brandon Staley. “I’m watching you beat all these DBs. I said, ‘Hey, I want this guy on our team.'”
“Man, trust me — I’m coming back better than what you saw on film, coach. I promise you that,” said Palmer.
Staley was hired as the new head coach of the Chargers in January 2021 following a one-year stint as the defensive coordinator of the Los Angeles Rams. He is one of the youngest bench bosses in the NFL at just 38 years of age.
“Thank you so much,” Palmer told general manager Tom Telesco on the call. “I’m ready to get to work, man. I need whatever y’all got. I need the playbook, I need all that — I’m ready to come to work.”
Telesco has been the team’s general manager since 2013 following a fifteen-year stint with the Indianapolis Colts. The Chargers have gone 12-20 over the past two years but the outstanding play of reigning NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Justin Herbert is cause for optimism on the west coast.
Palmer will look to become a key weapon in Herbert’s arsenal as he develops behind star receivers Keenan Allen and Mike Wallace.
The six-foot-one, 210-pound target finished his career at the University of Tennessee with 99 catches for 1,514 yards and seven touchdowns. His production came in the ultra-competitive SEC despite inconsistent quarterback play throughout his collegiate career.
At the 2021 Senior Bowl in January, the top NCAA showcase event for senior NFL Draft prospects, Palmer created a buzz during practices and capped the week with two receptions for 27 yards and one touchdown in the game televised on NFL Network.
