Kevin O’Connell Says Don’t Forget the Other Young Player
The Minnesota Vikings have finalized their 2025 draft class, including five drafted players, 19 undrafted rookie signings, and one acquisition via trade. After the team’s final selection, head coach Kevin O’Connell made an appearance on the NFL Network’s draft coverage.
Kevin O’Connell Says Don’t Forget the Other Young Player
Because it’s the hottest item in the Twin Cities (and because Rich Eisen, the man who conducted the interview, is another Michigan alumnus), he was expectedly asked about his young quarterback.
After answering the questions, he talked about the defense, suggesting that fellow 2024 first-rounder Dallas Turner deserves some more buzz.
“I hope people haven’t forgotten about Dallas Turner,” the head coach insisted. “[He is] really a guy that I’m expecting a huge jump from year one to year two. He really started to come on as the season went on last year. It’s a tough group, tough lineup to crack when you’ve got those top two guys playing the way that they were.”
“Those top two guys” refers to the Pro Bowl duo of Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel, a pair of remarkable 2024 free agent additions. They played at such a high level that benching them more than necessary for the sake of giving anyone else more reps would’ve been counterproductive.
Another guy who stole some playing time from Turner was Patrick Jones, a fourth-year rusher. He set a new career high in sacks and was productive, too. Unlike the two standouts, he departed this offseason and will no longer be a roadblock for the second-year talent.
Jones’ exit frees 459 defensive snaps in 15 games, and the Vikings have yet to add any other threat. Turner played 300 snaps in 16 games. There’s a decent chance he can reach 600 snaps and be a significant piece of the pass-rushing rotation this year, especially if he can make the sophomore jump O’Connell is betting on.
In those 300 snaps plus 226 on special teams, Turner registered three sacks, 20 tackles, three tackles for loss, and an interception. Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores used him as a Swiss army knife as he was dropping back at times, which was not too different from Van Ginkel’s role.
Acquiring Turner was a costly move in last year’s draft. It ultimately required two trade-ups, although one was perceived as a move in preparation for a trade for a quarterback that turned out to be unnecessary. PurplePTSD’s Kyle Joudry summarized what the picks of the second trade turned into.
Turner has difference-maker potential, as he entered the league with otherworldly athleticism. He just needs to refine his game a little. Learning how and when to use the hands and improving the footwork is essential against experienced veteran offensive tackles. You can run around or overpower the right tackle of a generic middling university, but when it’s Penei Sewell or Lane Johnson across from you, that’s probably not getting the job done without the requisite technique.
Later in the year, he showed plenty of promise. His closing speed is jaw-dropping, and he had one or two exciting plays each game. It’s just consistency and opportunity that’s still lacking at this point.
We won’t know if the Turner deal was a good one for another year or two. He turned 22 earlier this offseason and needs time to grow into the best version of himself.
In July and August, when the Vikings are in training camp, fans can see a brand-new first-round pick in Donovan Jackson in action, as well as the two sophomores. One had a redshirt year, and the other was buried on the depth chart.
There’s plenty of opportunity for reports saying “player X is turning heads.”
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Pro Football Reference helped with this article.
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