Dallas Turner Draws Comparison to Super Bowl Hero
A year ago, the Vikings entered the draft with a pair of first-round draft choices. Everyone expected them to package the picks to trade up for a quarterback, but that ultimately wasn’t necessary as J.J. McCarthy was available just one pick ahead of Minnesota, and a smaller trade package got the deal done.
Dallas Turner Draws Comparison to Super Bowl Hero
But then, Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah still had pick 23 and decided to make a second splash to acquire Alabama’s Dallas Turner with the 17th overall pick. The trade brought him some criticism, and quite frankly, it was expensive.
Still, bringing over a talented and productive defender at a premium position from a premium school was an exciting move. Unfortunately for Turner and the Vikings, he had a quiet debut season, primarily watching Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel shine on the field while warming the bench on the sidelines.
The rookie appeared in 16 regular season games (he missed one with a minor knee injury). In those contests, Turner secured three sacks, one interception, and 20 tackles, playing only 300 defensive snaps and 226 on special teams.
Concerns about his play are a double-edged sword, and context is necessary. Coming out of college, Turner was viewed as an athletic freak, and he surely showcased his movement skills. On the flip side, he is a raw pass-rusher who needs to refine his pass-rushing plan.
In addition to that, Greenard and Van Ginkel both went to the Pro Bowl, and even backup Patrick Jones had a career year with seven sacks. At some point, defensive coordinator Brian Flores just ran out of snaps to throw around. Benching the two starters was impossible.
The good news is that Turner just turned 22 years old and still possesses enormous potential. In his rookie campaign, he regularly demonstrated his impressive speed, and Flores used him in various ways like Van Ginkel, dropping him into coverage rather than just sending him after the passer. Also, it is noteworthy that Turner’s role increased in the second half of the season.
Versatility and athleticism are his two calling cards.
The latest item of reporting about the 2025 sophomore came from Alec Lewis (The Athletic). He heard from an anonymous NFC scout who just pointed at Eagles edge defender Nolan Smith.
One NFC evaluator, whose team considered drafting edge rusher Dallas Turner last year, laughed when asked about having any concerns following Turner’s quiet rookie season. “None at all,” they said. “Think of him like Nolan Smith.”
The comparison arose in other conversations about Turner as well. Both Smith and Turner possess elite athletic traits. They were drafted young. They came from high-end programs in the Southeastern Conference, and neither had any character-related concerns. It’s fascinating to assess their rookie seasons side by side.
Indeed, the similarities are glaring. Smith came into the league a year older, but they are both on the smaller side for edge rushers and possess elite explosiveness. Smith played even less than Turner in his rookie year, being limited to only 188 defensive snaps in Philadelphia’s generally strong defensive line rotation.
Turner had a slightly better pass-rush win rate and a slightly worse pressure rate. Smith produced one sack to Turner’s three.
Last season, in his second year in the league, Smith tabulated 6.5 sacks in the regular season and 4.0 in the playoffs, including a dominant showing in the Super Bowl that surely has been replayed in Patrick Mahomes’ nightmares.
Lewis continued: “Smith tallied 11 sacks in his second season. Four of them came during the Eagles’ Super Bowl run. The NFC evaluator believes Turner’s sophomore season could be similar. Even if he’s finding his footing early in the 2025 season, a breakout could come down the stretch. One team source expects Turner to arrive in exceptional condition for spring and summer workouts, hungry to prove he can contribute beyond his 300 snaps in 2024.”
Jones is scheduled to enter free agency next week, which would already put more on Turner’s plate. Additionally, he will be more familiar with Flores’s scheme and might get more snaps in different positions.
Lewis concluded: “The Vikings staff also shoulders some responsibility to continue developing Turner. Refining secondary moves is critical for edge rushers like he and Smith, who cannot solely win on power.”
It’s way too early to make any final conclusions about Turner. At the age of 22, at a position that requires some patience, Turner has a chance to prove his doubters wrong in the 2025 season.
At the very least, it is a good sign that a scout from another team is still optimistic about his trajectory.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Focus and Pro Football Reference helped with this article.
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Janik Eckardt is a football fan who likes numbers and stats. The Vikings became his favorite team despite their quarterback at the time, Christian Ponder. He is a walking soccer encyclopedia, loves watching sitcoms, and prefers Classic rock over other genres. Follow him on Twitter if you like the Vikings: @JanikEckardt