Tag: Kobie Turner

Kobie Turner already stepping up as a leader after Jared Verse selection

Kobie Turner is only entering his second season, but he’s already showing he’s a leader by offering to help Jared Verse with anything he needs

With Aaron Donald retired, there’s not only a void on the Rams’ defensive line, but also in the locker room. Los Angeles could use a new leadership presence in the D-line room and there doesn’t seem to be any question about who will step up.

Kobie Turner is only entering his second season in the NFL but he’s already showing leadership qualities of a five-year veteran. After the Rams selected Jared Verse at No. 19 overall in the first round on Thursday night, the first player to reach out to him was Turner.

He offered to help Verse in any way he can, which the rookie says he’s going to take Turner up on.

“He’s gonna regret that,” Verse said.

The Rams obviously try to find the best football players they can in the draft each year, but they’re also big on character and culture. Turner absolutely checks both of those boxes, and it seems Verse is cut from the right cloth, too.

With a young nucleus of Verse, Turner and Byron Young, the Rams are in excellent shape along the defensive line for years to come.

Why the Rams may not draft a defensive tackle as early as some think

Defensive tackle is viewed as a position of need for the Rams, but they may not take one early like many people think they will

After Aaron Donald announced his retirement from the NFL, the immediate question was “how will the Rams replace him?” They haven’t signed anyone in free agency, which points to them drafting a defensive tackle early to fill the massive void left by No. 99.

No single player can take the place of the future Hall of Famer, but it’s possible the Rams already have his successor on the roster. That player is Kobie Turner, who should’ve won Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2023.

When you think about it, the Rams actually drafted Donald’s replacement a year ago when they selected Turner 89th overall out of Wake Forest. He’s the primary reason Los Angeles may not draft a defensive tackle such as Byron Murphy II or Johnny Newton as early as many people think they will.

Though Turner played a bunch of snaps at nose tackle last season alongside Donald, he’s a much better fit at 3-technique, the position Donald played throughout his career. He’s 6-foot-2 and 288 pounds, which is only 1 inch taller and 8 pounds heavier than Donald’s listed weight. Nose tackles in a 3-4 scheme are typically much bigger – like Bobby Brown III, who’s 6-foot-4 and 324 pounds. That’s a run-stuffing nose tackle. Turner is a pass-rushing 3-technique.

In the Rams’ case, they need a nose tackle more than they need a 3-technique to replace Donald. Turner can be that player to fill Donald’s void, already showing impressive pass-rushing skills with nine sacks last season to tie the Rams rookie record, which was set by Donald in 2014.

Not to mention, the Rams probably knew Donald was only going to play two more years when he signed his new contract in 2022. VP of football operations Tony Pastoors told The Athletic that when Donald signed his deal in 2022, he “looked me in the face and said, ‘I’m playing two years.’” The structure of Donald’s contract, which came with an option in 2024, suggests the Rams had a strong feeling he’d retire after the 2023 season, too.

As a result, they knew they’d need to find Donald’s replacement sooner rather than later, which is why they drafted Turner when they did. They viewed him as Donald’s heir, not some rookie in the 2024 class.

Murphy and Newton are both fantastic players and would help the Rams right away, but it’s very possible the front office and coaching staff view Turner as their replacement for Donald. In that case, Los Angeles would be better suited to draft a 5-technique like Darius Robinson or a nose tackle such as McKinnley Jackson to play alongside Turner.

It’ll be fascinating to see if the Rams take Murphy or Newton in the first round if either is available at No. 19, or if they wait much longer to take a defensive lineman. My money would be on the latter, simply because Turner would make a fantastic full-time 3-tech after playing a bunch of nose tackle in 2023.

Look: Rams players arrive for 1st day of offseason workouts

Rams players have arrived for the 1st day of offseason workouts, including Kobie Turner and Tre’Davious White

It seems like not long ago that the Los Angeles Rams’ 2023 season came to an end with their loss to the Detroit Lions in the wild-card round, but the team is already back in the building preparing for the 2024 campaign.

Monday marked the first day of the offseason workout program, which will gradually ramp up leading into summer break before training camp. Initially, players will mostly go through meetings and lifting sessions, but they’ll be on the field for OTAs in May.

Players began arriving for these voluntary workouts, including Kobie Turner, Ernest Jones, Quentin Lake and Rob Havenstein. Players aren’t required to participate in these workouts but the Rams are not expected to have any holdouts, so attendance should be near-perfect, if not 100%.

The new guys have made their way into the Rams’ building, too. Darious Williams, Tre’Davious White, Kamren Curl, Jonah Jackson and Colby Parkinson all arrived on the first day as they get acclimated to their new team.

Here’s the full schedule for the Rams’ offseason program this year.

  • First Day: April 15
  • OTA Offseason Workouts: May 20-21, May 23, May 28-29, May 31, June 3-6
  • Mandatory Minicamp: June 10-12

Look: Cooper Kupp, Puka Nacua were at Lakers game for Kobie Turner’s National Anthem

Kobie Turner sang the National Anthem at the Lakers game on Tuesday night and both Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp were in attendance

The stars were out at the Los Angeles Lakers game on Tuesday night, with three members of the Rams represented at Crypto.com Arena. It was a particularly special night for Kobie Turner, who had the opportunity to sing the National Anthem before tip-off.

Turner predictably nailed his rendition of the anthem, and both Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua were in attendance in Los Angeles. Nacua and Turner even took a few photos in custom Lakers jerseys before the game, rocking their Rams numbers in purple and gold.

Kupp got a custom jersey from the Lakers, too, with his No. 10 and name on the back.

But what you really came here for is Turner’s singing of the National Anthem, because it was truly impressive. Check out the video shared by the Rams below.

It’s awesome to see how close-knit the Rams are as a team, which speaks to the culture Sean McVay has built in Los Angeles.

Kobie Turner to sing National Anthem at Lakers-Warriors game Tuesday

Kobie Turner will sing the National Anthem at the Lakers-Warriors game tonight and he’s sure to crush it

Los Angeles Rams fans know Kobie Turner as a standout defensive tackle who should’ve been recognized as the NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2023. However, he’s more than just an impressive pass rusher and run-stopper.

Off the field, Turner is a talented singer. He has a powerful voice, which he’s shown off several times in the past.

In January, he sang the National Anthem at the Los Angeles Kings game and on Tuesday night, he’ll belt out another rendition of the song. He’s signing the National Anthem before Tuesday night’s Lakers-Warriors game at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, a big stage for the Rams defensive tackle.

He teased the exciting news on social media this week, even getting a haircut before he takes the court in L.A.

Sean McVay mentions Quentin Lake as a young building block on defense

Quentin Lake is a rising player for the Rams after emerging as a dynamic defender in the slot last season

The Los Angeles Rams went from fielding star-studded defenses year after year to now deploying a unit filled with young, up-and-coming players. Gone are the days of Jalen Ramsey, Bobby Wagner, Leonard Floyd, Marcus Peters and now Aaron Donald.

Now, the Rams are leaning on players such as Kobie Turner, Ernest Jones and Byron Young. In addition to those three standout defenders, Quentin Lake is a player fans should know heading into the 2024 season. He’s expected to play a significant role next season after emerging as the team’s top slot defender last year, recently earning some recognition from Sean McVay.

During an interview on SiriusXM NFL Radio, McVay mentioned Lake as a young player the Rams can build around.

“Chris Shula’s going to do a great job leading our defensive unit,” McVay said. “We’ve got some young guys that we can really build around. Love what Kobie Turner did last year. Aaron really poured into him. Love the emergence of Byron Young. Ernest Jones is a special leader in the middle of our defense. I think Quentin Lake is a really special, emerging player. And then being able to add quality players on the back end like a Kam Curl, bringing Darious Williams back home. So we’re excited. We’re going to try to add some good players through this draft and we’ll see where we’re at.”

Lake joined the Rams as a sixth-round pick in 2022, primarily being viewed as a safety. Injuries limited him to only nine games as a rookie but he took his game to another level last season when the Rams moved him into the slot.

He excelled in that role, both as a run defender and in coverage. He earned a 71.2 overall grade from Pro Football Focus, helped by an impressive 84.6 tackling grade thanks to his missed tackle rate of only 3.8%.

With Williams and Tre’Davious White expected to be the starting cornerbacks on the outside, Lake has a golden opportunity to maintain his role as the primary slot defender.

He may not be a household name but Lake is in position to have a very good third season in the NFL.

Aaron Donald confident he left Rams ‘in good hands’ with young core

“Ernest, it’s your defense now. I told him that.”

Aaron Donald’s absence will undoubtedly be felt on the Rams defense next season. He was one of the best players in football and a cornerstone of Los Angeles’ defensive front for a decade, and there’s no easy way to replace him.

The Rams still have playmakers all over their roster, which has Donald feeling good about the state he left the team in. In his first post-retirement interview, he mentioned Puka Nacua, Kobie Turner and Ernest Jones as players who will help take the Rams into the next era, telling them that it’s their time now.

“I talk to them a million times and tell them, ‘it’s y’all time now,'” Donald said. “It’s time for you guys like Kobie to be the leader now, to Puka, to continue to build on what you did. Ernest, it’s your defense now. I told him that. To leave the team how I’m leaving the team, in good hands with great young guys that’s going to do some great things for the organization, make it even that much better for me to know I ain’t leaving it in a bad condition, it’s in good terms and they have a good team, and I feel like they’re going to have a lot of success.”

Of course, Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp, Rob Havenstein and Tyler Higbee are all still in Los Angeles and will continue to be leaders in the locker room, but the Rams are also bringing along the next group of pillars – Turner, Jones and Nacua chief among them.

Fortunately for Turner, he got to spend one year learning from and working with Donald, which will certainly help him in his development as one of the best young defensive tackles in football. Jones also played alongside Donald for three seasons, and while they didn’t play the same position, they were two leaders on defense.

It’s hard not to feel good about the state of the Rams after their surprisingly impressive 10-7 season in 2023, and now they have a first-round pick (plus 10 other total selections) in the upcoming draft. They’re built to win now, even with as big a loss as Donald is.

Kobie Turner is working with the guy who trained Aaron Donald with knives

Aaron Donald went viral for training with knives a few years ago and now Kobie Turner is working with the same trainer

Aaron Donald had the internet buzzing in 2018 when a video surfaced of him training with knives. They weren’t real knives, but the fact that Donald was even hand-fighting with a trainer using fake blades was wild enough to have fans going crazy.

Well, Donald is now passing the knife torch to his understudy, Kobie Turner. As all great pass rushers should, Turner is following in the footsteps of the future Hall of Famer and training with the same guy who went through those knife drills with Donald.

Turner shared a photo and three videos of himself working with Al “Poodie” Carson on Thursday, though there were no sharp objects in sight during his session. There was some violent and impressive hand-fighting, though, which is the purpose of training with a Krav Maga expert like Carson.

Carson gave Turner a shoutout on Twitter by calling him “the real DROY” and said that he’s doing the “GOAT99 workout,” alluding to the drills he did with Donald a few years back.

Turner looks explosive and powerful in the clips and could be in for an even better season than the one he had in 2023.

If you need a refresher on Donald’s knife workout with Carson from 2018, here it is in all its glory.

Rams’ 2023 rookie class ranked 3rd by NFL.com, which is still too low

The Rams’ 2023 rookie class was ranked third in the NFL, but even that’s too low

The Los Angeles Rams needed an impactful rookie class in 2023 after kicking off their roster rebuild and they hit a home run. Despite not having a first-round pick, the Rams came away with a draft class that helped them secure a wild-card spot and nearly upset the Lions in the first round of the playoffs.

Puka Nacua had the best rookie season ever by a wide receiver, setting multiple records, while Kobie Turner led all rookies with nine sacks – as a defensive tackle, no less. Fellow third-round pick Byron Young finished second among all rookies with eight sacks, too. And that’s without even mentioning their top pick, Steve Avila, who didn’t miss a single snap all year.

NFL.com ranked every draft class from 2023 and shockingly, the Rams weren’t first or second. They were ranked third, but even that’s too low. The Texans earned the top spot and the Steelers were ranked second.

The Rams haven’t had a first-round pick since they took Jared Goff first overall in the 2016 NFL Draft, but general manager Les Snead scored a highly productive haul with his 2023 rookie class, which was studded with multiple first-year standouts.

It’s understandable that the Texans would be ranked ahead of the Rams after C.J. Stroud and Will Anderson Jr. won Rookie of the Year awards. However, it’s really hard to make the case that the Steelers’ rookie class was better than the Rams’.

From top to bottom, the Rams had five rookies who played a pivotal role for them. Davis Allen did a nice job filling in at tight end when Tyler Higbee was injured, too. How each class turns out in the next three or four years remains to be seen, but just based on rookie impact, the Rams had the better draft.

Voting tally for Defensive Rookie of the Year proves Kobie Turner’s draft slot hurt his chances

Despite leading all rookies with 9 sacks, 23 of the 50 voters didn’t even have Kobie Turner on their Defensive Rookie of the Year ballots

The NFL’s annual awards are completely subjective, with a panel of 50 voters casting ballots for each of the Associated Press’ honors. At times, the selections are unanimous, but that’s rare because more often than not, there are several deserving candidates for each award.

While we never find out what each voter’s ballot looks like, the Associated Press does release voting tallies for every award. And looking at the Defensive Rookie of the Year voting results, it’s abundantly clear that voters favored Will Anderson Jr. and Jalen Carter over Kobie Turner because they were first-round picks.

According to the AP, Turner finished third with a total of 95 points, behind Anderson (151) and Carter (122). He received 14 first-place votes just like Carter, and he was just two first-place votes shy of Anderson’s total, but what crushed Turner’s odds was the fact that of the 50 voters, 23 of them didn’t have him on their ballot at all (h/t ProFootballTalk)

That’s ludicrous.

How is it possible that nearly half of the voters didn’t even have Turner on their radar as a Defensive Rookie of the Year candidate? You’re telling me he wasn’t even deserving of a third-place vote?

He led all rookies with nine sacks! Either 23 voters saw that and chose to ignore it, or they had no idea who Turner was because he was drafted in the third round, unlike Anderson and Carter. There’s no easy solution for this problem and no matter how award-winners are chosen, there will be controversy, but it’s outrageous that 23 of 50 voters didn’t even consider the rookie sacks leader for Defensive Rookie of the Year.