S Mike Palmer Coming Back for 2021 Season
The last few weeks, Boston College offensive linemen Zion Johnson and Ben Petrula announced their plans to return to Chestnut Hill for a fifth season. Tuesday night, safety Mike Palmer decided to come back for a sixth.
“Boston College has been nothing but great to me over the past years,” Palmer tweeted. “I am extremely grateful to have the opportunity to play one more year at such a special place, with extremely special people.”
The veteran defensive back battled injuries this season, missing BC’s game at Clemson and the final three contests of the 2020 campaign. In seven outings, he logged 25 total tackles, a 70-yard interception return, and a 34-yard scoop and score. Palmer posted the third-highest Pro Football Focus defensive grade (73.0) of any Eagle this year, and his coverage grade jumped from 49.9 in 2019 to a team-best 82.5.
He was also BC’s recipient of the Jay McGillis Memorial Scholarship, which is given annually to a BC defensive back in honor of McGillis, who died from Leukemia in 1992.
This season marked Palmer’s second as an Eagles starter. He started each of the 11 games he suited up for in 2019. BC struggled mightily on the backend that year, allowing 285.5 passing yards per game (122nd nationally). Palmer finished third on the team with 76 total tackles. The Endwell, New York, native added 4.5 TFLs, three pass break-ups, two interceptions, and a sack. He even blocked a field goal, which Brandon Sebastian returned for a touchdown, in BC’s Birmingham Bowl loss to Cincinnati.
He blocked another kick in 2018, a punt at North Carolina State, which was recovered for six. Palmer played a role in the Eagles’ return to the AP Poll, appearing in 10 games at safety. He made 23 total tackles, including six in BC’s Red Bandana Game win over Miami, and logged two pass break-ups.
In 2017, he saw his first game action. He recorded a pair of tackles in the Eagles’ blowout win at Virginia and got on the field two other occasions. The year before that, he was redshirted as a freshman.
A lot has changed since, for the program and for Palmer.
The day after BC’s season finale at UVA, Hafley talked about how Palmer’s leadership extended to the sidelines when the safety was injured down the stretch. The rookie head coach explained how Palmer observed and illustrated opposing formations and plays during games to help the coaching staff. Hafley said that Palmer might be a coach someday.
For now, though, he’s still an Eagle.