Former Wisconsin Badgers and Michigan State linebacker Jordan Turner declared for the 2025 NFL draft on Thursday.
The veteran linebacker spent the 2024 season with the Spartans after playing the first four years of his career at Wisconsin. He was a two-year starter with the Badgers from 2022-2023, including the first year of the Luke Fickell era with the program.
Related: Tracking Wisconsin football’s transfer portal offers, interests and top targets
Turner put forth his best statistical season in 2024, finishing with 66 total tackles, 11 tackles for loss, three sacks, two interceptions and a pass deflection in 12 appearances. That production is up a tick from his two-year average of 64.5 tackles, six tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks with the Badgers.
Overall, the former three-star recruit in the class of 2020 has been one of the more consistent linebackers in the Big Ten over the past few seasons.
❤️🤍💚 pic.twitter.com/AN510L5do8
— Jordan Turner (@yallknojt) December 12, 2024
“After much reflection and many open and honest conversations with my family recently, I believe that I am ready for the next chapter of my career and ready to prepare for my lifelong dream of playing in the National Football League,” Turner wrote on X. “What that being said, I am officially declaring for the 2025 NFL draft.” He went on to specifically thank Paul Chryst and Jim Leonhard in his lengthy statement, two of his three head coaches during his time at Wisconsin.
Turner has yet to receive a concrete day or round projection from any major draft service.
Of note, both he and fellow 2022 and 2023 starting linebacker Maema Njongmeta have found success since departing Wisconsin. Turner was Michigan State’s most productive defender in 2024, while Njongmeta surprisingly made the Cincinnati Bengals’ active roster and is currently helping the team win.
Wisconsin was balanced at inside linebacker in 2024. Christian Alliegro (66 tackles, five tackles for loss, three sacks), Jake Chaney (55 tackles, four tackles for loss, one sack) and Jaheim Thomas (53 tackles, two tackles for loss, one sack) led the room. All finished the campaign with respectable outputs, but none emerged as a clear-cut star at the position.
Turner’s professional path will be interesting to watch as we continue to monitor how former transfers fared at new destinations.
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