Minnesota Vikings land absolute steal in former Alabama Crimson Tide edge defender Dallas Turner
Dallas Turner, the former Alabama Football star edge defender, is obviously the highest upside pass rusher in the entire 2024 NFL Draft class. The Minnesota Vikings landed an absolute steal with their 17th overall pick. And Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah wanted Turner so badly that he traded up from pick 23 to make it […]
Dallas Turner, the former Alabama Football star edge defender, is obviously the highest upside pass rusher in the entire 2024 NFL Draft class. The Minnesota Vikings landed an absolute steal with their 17th overall pick. And Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah wanted Turner so badly that he traded up from pick 23 to make it happen.
Until just 24 hours before the NFL Draft Dallas Turner had been the favorite among all defensive line and edge defender prospects to go first in round one. And he had consistently been mock drafted for months inside the top ten picks, settling in around pick nine on most consensus big boards. However, with all six of the top quarterbacks going inside the first 12 picks that pushed the defensive players down the draft board, leading to excellent value for any team looking for defense.
Dallas Turner, EDGE Alabama
Dallas Turner just turned 21 in February. He posted a pass rush pressure rate near 20%, good for second in the entire 2024 NFL Draft class. He posted a 99th percentile Athletic Composite Score at the NFL Combine. And his best historical comparison is Von Miller. There's absolutely nothing to not like with Dallas Turner. The absurdity of his drop to pick 17 cannot be overstated.
Turner was just about as good as NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Will Anderson when they both were getting after the quarterback for Alabama just two short years ago. His 25 sacks in three seasons make him one of the most productive college players at any position. He's going to be a special player at the next level.
Dallas Turner fit with the Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings desperately needed some pass rush help this offseason after losing future Hall of Famer Danielle Hunter to free agency. They also lost their second and third leaders in snaps off the edge from 2023 as well. The team did add Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel in free agency, but Dallas Turner brings a different gear.
It's very likely Turner lines up as a near every down edge defender from day one, with Greenard on the other side. Van Ginkel showed great upside last season for the Dolphins, but he isn't as proven. Van Ginkel likely rotates in to relieve Turner and Greenard. Turner fits a huge need and should contend for Defensive Rookie of the Year.
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And if you want to watch some Dallas Turner highlights to get pumped for his NFL future with the Minnesota Vikings just check out the video below!
