Orange team wide receiver Josh Palmer (5) reaches for a ball against White team defensive back Marquill Osborne (3) during the Orange and White spring game at Neyland Stadium on Saturday, April 21, 2018 in Knoxville, Tenn. The pass would fall incomplete.KNOXVILLE – Tennessee returned a trio of talented junior receivers led by Marquez Callaway, but it’s the sophomore class that has shown the most overall improvement at the position so far this season.
Jordan Murphy and Josh Palmer scored the first touchdowns of their careers in the Volunteers’ 59-3 victory over East Tennessee State University, and both continue to emerge as trustworthy targets in the offense.
“It’s cool to see that,” junior receiver Brandon Johnson said. “Really just happy for a lot of the young guys to get in and do their thing.”
Palmer scored on a 20-yard end-around run in the second quarter against ETSU after hauling in a 51-yard reception in the first quarter. He has four receptions for 84 yards through two games after making just nine grabs last season.
“He’s a guy that has size and speed, has pretty good hands and tries to play the way we want him to play,” Tennessee coach Jeremy Pruitt said. “He hasn’t played a ton of football, so he’s still learning, but I think he’ll continue to develop and improve.”