It went down to the wire, but the Minnesota Vikings and first-round pick Dallas Turner got a deal done before training camp. Now, the rookie can get in, get his feet wet, and start adjusting to life in the NFL. This is an adjustment that some don’t think will take too long for Turner.
Chris Trapasso of CBS Sports has unveiled his preseason All-Rookie team for the 2024 NFL season and has named Turner as one of his two first-team rookie EDGE players, along with Colts EDGE Laiatu Latu. Trapasso had a pretty glowing review of Turner, saying:
Turner is barely 21-years-old, wins with magnificent explosiveness and bend around the corner and is only scratching the surface with his hand work. He’ll be a weapon in Brian Flores’ ultra-aggressive defense in 2024.
Explosiveness and bend are two traits that, more often than not, equate to success at the position, and Turner has both in tremendous amounts. He still has some development to go as far as his hand usage and his pass-rush plan, but when he gets it all figured out, the sky is the limit.
If Turner can make that adjustment quickly, he could have a major impact on the Vikings’ defense. Minnesota is going to be looking for someone to step up in the absence of Danielle Hunter, and Turner was taken to be that guy.
If he can provide the kind of pass rush that many think he’s capable of, it can take some of the pressure off a suspect group of defensive backs, helping the defense as a whole improve upon their 2023 performance.