Tag: DJ Turner

Where every Michigan football draftee ranked coming out of high school

Development-U!!!! #GoBlue

Michigan football had the second-most players (9) drafted in the 2023 NFL draft. Alabama and Georgia had 10 each.

The Wolverines had four players go during the first two days of the draft, and the maize and blue even had a kicker drafted in the third round. Jake Moody was the first kicker to get drafted in the first three rounds since 2016.

Not every Michigan player drafted this year was a star coming out of high school. Some were lower-rated players that got a great education and the coaching staff helped mold them into a star in college and an NFL player now.

We are going to go back in memory lane and show you where every player was ranked at coming out of high school before their Michigan career began. For this exercise, we are going to use the 247Sports composite rankings.

Draft grades: Draft experts talk Cincinnati Bengals selecting DJ Turner

An impressive pick!

DJ Turner had a tremendous combine. After running a 4.26 40-yard dash, his name was linked to the first round of the NFL draft — even as high as the middle of the first round.

But the Michigan cornerback slipped a little and landed with the Cincinnati Bengals in the second round. After the Bengals took Turner with the 60th pick, he is back with former teammates Chris Evans and Daxton Hill, last year’s first-round pick.

After Cincinnati took Turner in the second round, publications came out with their own theories and grading system.

Here are what different draft experts had to say about the Turner selection.

Bengals receive ‘A+’ grade for DJ Turner pick

The Bengals earn the highest praise possible for the DJ Turner pick.

The Cincinnati Bengals made a stellar pick when taking Michigan cornerback DJ Turner in the second round.

Gifting coordinator Lou Anarumo a 4.26 40-yard dash prospect who excels at mirroring receivers on the boundary or interior was a no-brainer of a draft move — as was reuniting him with 2022 first-round pick Dax Hill.

Understandably, the move earned an “A+” grade from Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar:

Speed, speed, speed. Turner ran a 4.26-second 40-yard dash at the scouting combine, and every bit of that speed shows up on the field. He’ll be a valuable asset in a Bengals secondary in transition. Last season, he allowed just 33 catches on 71 targets for 408 yards, 123 yards after the catch, two touchdowns, one interception, seven pass breakups, and an opponent passer rating of 68.3. In 2021, Turner gave up an opponent passer rating of 54.8. He is absolutely plug-and-play, and I’m quite surprised he lasted this long.

Turner was sometimes mocked to the Bengals in the first round, which speaks to the value.

Bengals coaches say Turner’s a candidate to play on the boundary in the pros, which puts him in the mix to take snaps in Week 1 if Chidobe Awuzie isn’t ready. Otherwise, he could very well end up being the long-term starter across from Cam Taylor-Britt.

[affiliatewidget_smgtolocal]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1]

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbw0bft20de1r4d player_id=01eqbvhghtkmz2182d image=]

Twitter reactions: Cincinnati Bengals selected DJ Turner

He’s going to be good!!

Michigan football has had three players selected in the 2023 NFL draft.

Mazi Smith and Luke Schoonmaker were selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the first and second rounds, respectively. Later in the second round, with the 60th pick, the Cincinnati Bengals took the Wolverines’ cornerback DJ Turner.

There was talk of Turner leaping into the first round with his 40 time, but Turner went in the third round to the Bengals.

Last year, Cinciannti took Michigan’s Daxton Hill in the first round, so he will team with his former teammate in the secondary.

As usual, Twitter had its say on the matter. Here are the best Twitter reactions to Turner landing with the Bengals.

WATCH: Highlights of Bengals’ DJ Turner in college

Some highlights of the newest Bengals second-round pick.

The Cincinnati Bengals kept the theme of adding super-fast guys to the secondary on Friday during the second round of the 2023 NFL draft with Michigan cornerback DJ Turner.

That means defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo gets a press cornerback who can play inside or outside and boasts a 5’11” frame with elite athletic testing numbers, of course headed up by that 4.26 time in the 40-yard dash.

As onlookers can probably imagine, that speed shows up constantly in Turner’s college highlights while he drummed up 17 passes defended and three interceptions with two total defensive touchdowns.

Here’s a sampling of what Turner is about to bring to the Bengals on game days as the latest addition to the secondary:

[affiliatewidget_smgtolocal]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1]

Look: Bengals coach Zac Taylor calls second-round pick DJ Turner

The moment Bengals head coach Zac Taylor called DJ Turner before drafting him.

One of the best parts of any NFL draft is seeing the behind-the-scenes footage of a draft prospect’s dream come true.

That’s especially the case as Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor called up second-round pick DJ Turner on Friday.

There, Taylor got to inform Turner that he would be reunited with former Michigan Wolverines teammate Dax Hill in the secondary of the Bengals. Hill was the team’s first-round pick the year prior.

Turner, a 4.26 40-yard dash athlete who fits the scheme quite well and fills a long-term need, was more than happy to hear the news.

The Bengals’ Twitter account provided the footage of the moment:

[affiliatewidget_smgtolocal]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1]

Bengals coaches reveal plan for second-round pick DJ Turner

The Bengals have a goal in mind for DJ Turner.

The Cincinnati Bengals have a vision for second-round cornerback DJ Turner.

For outsiders, it was a little tough to see the plan. Turner was obviously a great pick at a premium position at 60th overall, but his build — 5’11” and 173 pounds — made it tough to project if he would play inside or out.

According to Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic, Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo told reporters after the pick was announced that they think Turner arrives as a boundary cornerback with the ability to move inside if necessary.

Anarumo also detailed another part of the plan given Turner’s frame as he tackles the pro game next:

So on paper, Turner might just be the long-term starter on the boundary opposite Cam Taylor-Britt. And if not, perhaps he moves inside to the slot in time.

Either way, the Bengals have a plan of attack in mind after securing a high-upside player at a premium position in the second round.

[affiliatewidget_smgtolocal]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1]

Best reactions after Bengals draft DJ Turner in second round

The best reactions after the Bengals made their pick in the second round of the 2023 NFL draft.

The Cincinnati Bengals generated some major reactions for their pick in the second round of the 2023 NFL draft.

After all, there were major names like Darnell Washington still on the board at perceived positions of need by the time the 60th pick arrived.

The Bengals elected to get defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo another weapon though, taking Michigan cornerback DJ Turner.

Turner, yet another wicked-fast option for the secondary and possible long-term starter in time, earned the Bengals plenty of praise.

Here’s a look at some of the best reactions to the move before the team got ready to step to the podium in Round 3.

[affiliatewidget_smgtolocal]

Rich Eisen perfectly trolls Ohio State fans with Cincinnati draft pick

This is too good!! #GoBlue

Barstool Sports’ Dave Portnoy dropped the mic on Thursday when Ohio State quarterback CJ Stroud was selected at No. 2. It turns out another Michigan alumnus had just as good a burn on the Buckeyes.

NFL Network host and steward of the show of his own namesake, Rich Eisen wears his love for the maize and blue on his sleeve. The Michigan alumnus takes every opportunity he has to espouse his admiration for the Wolverines. At times, that manifests as an equal love of trolling Ohio State (after Michigan has gotten the better of them, of course).

Such was the case on the NFL Network draft coverage on Friday. When the Cincinnati Bengals selected Michigan cornerback DJ Turner in the second round of the 2023 NFL draft, Eisen had an all-timer.

You love to see it.

Eisen had a particularly great speech at the NFL Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio last summer, and something says that he’ll be even more ebullient this next year.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Around the North: Bengals take Michigan CB DJ Turner at end of second round

The Bengals add another Michigan defensive back for the second straight year.

After taking Daxton Hill with their first round pick a year ago, the Cincinnati Bengals have turned back to the University of Michigan again to select another one of their defensive backs. With their second round pick in the 2023 NFL draft, the Bengals have now landed cornerback DJ Turner after landing pass rusher Myles Murphy in the first round.

While they have watched their AFC North rivals make pick after pick, the Browns are now just about 10 picks from getting on the clock. And the board could not be falling better for them as there is still tons of talent at linebacker and wide receiver for the Browns to pick from.

[lawrence-auto-related count=4]

[stnvideo key=”BuIu1n8G” type=”player”]