Former UAB wide receiver Tejhaun Palmer became the first of the 27 prospects selected in the 2024 NFL Draft who played at Alabama high schools and colleges to sign his pro contract on Thursday.

The Arizona Cardinals announced four of their draft choices signed their contracts on Thursday, including Palmer.

Palmer went to Arizona in the sixth round with the 191st selection on April 27 as the only UAB player chosen in this year’s draft.

Palmer signed a four-year contract worth a reported $4.205 million.

All drafted players receive four-year contracts. The values of those contracts are based on the NFL’s salary cap of $255.4 million for the 2024 season and this year’s rookie compensation pool in a formula spelled out in the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the league and its players association.

Palmer had 47 receptions for 858 yards and seven touchdowns in 2023, his third season with UAB.

“I feel like I have a lot of room to grow still,” Palmer said on Thursday. “I feel like I’ve been getting better every year of my life, so I feel like the sky’s the limit.”

A native of Milwaukee, Palmer joined the Blazers from Snow Community College.

“I feel like any JUCO kid can relate to me,” Palmer said. “When you make it out of JUCO, you feel like you can make it anywhere, and the hard work it takes to overcome that, it’s a great feeling.”

The Cardinals already had a UAB alumnus on their roster with Starling Thomas V, who started seven games at cornerback as a rookie in 2023.

“It’s a great feeling going back to playing with Starling,” Palmer said. “That’s my boy since UAB. We was going at it at UAB, so it’s going to be good to have somebody that I already know on the team.”

Palmer joins a wide-receiver depth chart that includes Marvin Harrison Jr., the fourth pick in this year’s draft. By receptions, Arizona’s two leading wide receivers from last season are no longer with the team. The top returning receivers are Michael Wilson with 38 receptions for 565 yards and three touchdowns and Greg Dortch with 24 receptions for 280 yards and two touchdowns.

Arizona will hold its rookie minicamp Friday through Sunday.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.