2/7/2018 football Edit

Letter of intent No. 25: Cornerback Taiyon Palmer

Matt Carter • TheWolfpackCentral

Editor

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Measurables:

• At a Nike Camp in Charlotte, checked in at 5-foot-11 and 176 pounds and was laser-timed in the 40-yard dash at 4.62 seconds … Had a 4.07-second shuttle time, a 38.5-foot power ball throw and 37.3-inch vertical leap for an overall Nike rating of 114.03, the 73rd best rating from all of the Nike Camps

Stats:

• Senior: On offense caught 14 passes for 282 yards and four scores and defensively had 30 tackles, five interceptions and six pass breakups.

• Junior: Piled up 30 tackles and three picks.

Ratings:

• Rivals.com: Three stars, No. 54 cornerback in the country and No. 45 player in the state.

• 247Sports: Four stars, No. 200 recruit in the nation, No. 19 cornerback in the country and No. 22 player in the state.

• ESPN: Four stars, No. 34 cornerback in the country and No. 33 player in the state.

Honors/accomplishments:

• Named first-team all-state for the AAAAAAA classification, the largest in Georgia, by the Georgia Sport Writers Association.

• Was named first-team All-Region by the area’s coaches as a senior.

• Selected to the Gwinnett Daily Post All-County first team.

• Played in the Rising Stars’ Georgia Junior Bowl in 2016.

Recruitment:

• Originally was verbally committed to Duke.

• Decommitted in the fall and officially visited Vanderbilt (Dec. 15), Nebraska (Jan. 12), NC State (Jan. 19) and Tennessee (Jan. 26) after also adding reported offers from Alabama, Clemson, Florida, Notre Dame and others following the December signing day.

• Inked a letter of intent with the Wolfpack on the February signing day.

Recruiter of record:

Running backs coach Des Kitchings.

Quotable:

"Their football program is also on the rise. They were 8-5, then 9-4 and they have been close to beating Clemson the last two seasons. Things are going in the right direction there." — Palmer.

Scouting report:

• An athletic, playmaking corner.

• Shows good natural instincts in cover and has plus ball skills.

• Could also help on special teams and return kicks.

2017 projection:

There is a wide open competition at cornerback next fall after the losses of Johnathan Alston and Mike Stevens to graduation. While rising junior Nick McCloud is a strong favorite for one spot, the other starter and depth needs to be figured out. Palmer has the potential to get into the mix.