Red Bank Wide Receiver Sadiq Palmer Commits to Syracuse

Red Bank Regional junior wide receiver/safety Sadiq Palmer, a Shore Sports Network first-team All-Shore selection in the fall, verbally committed to Syracuse late Saturday night.

Palmer's commitment, which was first reported by Scout.com, makes him the first star from the Shore Conference Class of 2016 to verbal to an FBS program. Syracuse offered Palmer earlier on Saturday and he committed that night. The Orange were the first FBS program to offer Palmer, who is also a basketball standout.

One of the most explosive skill players in the Shore, Palmer had a breakout junior year in his second full season on varsity. He finished with 36 catches for 748 yards (20.8 ypc) and seven touchdowns and scored 13 total touchdowns between receiving, rushing, interceptions on defense and a pair of kickoff returns for touchdowns. Palmer also was a standout safety for the Bucs with three interceptions.

Palmer is the Bucs' first FBS recruit since current Penn State junior defensive end Garrett Sickels committed in 2012. Syracuse, whose recruiting coordinator is former Monmouth Regional head coach Bobby Acosta, has been recruiting the Shore hard, as St. John Vianney quarterback Anthony Brown, Toms River North running back Asante Moorer and defensive tackle Da'shon Copes, Middletown South offensive lineman Thomas Lopez, Ocean running back Tyler Thompson, Red Bank Catholic lineman Liam Smith and Matawan defensive back Dejohn Rogers and linebacker Aliem Shaw are all targets that Syracuse has either offered or shown interest in from the Class of 2016.