One of the many surprises in the Rams’ 2023 draft class, Kobie Turner wasted no time making his presence known on the football field. As a rookie, Turner displayed the three “As” that define a game-changing player. Ability, availability, and attitude.
In 2023, Turner played every single game, putting in four regular-season starts, and was one of the pillars behind the team’s late-season surge. He put up nine sacks and 45 total tackles. His nine sacks topped the NFL’s rookie leaderboards, being ahead of teammate Byron Young by one sack.
However, Turner is now the focus of the Rams’ interior defensive line. With Aaron Donald’s retirement and the unknown production of Braden Fiske, Turner should expect more double-team assignments early in the season but with Young and Jared Verse’s ability to fly off the edge, opportunities to finish plays will present themselves naturally.
Looking at Turner’s film, he generates a fair amount of sacks and pressures by cutting outside when an edge rusher crashes the inside. Expect DC Chris Shula to call more stunts on passing downs. Turner is also a three-down lineman, being just one out of 12 players with 20 pressures and 20 run stops in 2023.
Turner is a bully on the interior and has made All-Pro offensive linemen look silly on a consistent basis. He has a great punch, low center of gravity and more times than not, he’s lower than the run blockers he faces and as we all know, low man wins.
With a defensive coordinator who understands pass rushes and a new defensive line coach in Giff Smith who has a proven track record in developing defensive lineman, Turner has all the tools at his disposal for a massive 2024.
Lastly, Turner’s first year and career trajectory is mirroring the career of Aaron Donald. Turner’s numbers are scary similar to Donald’s rookie year and considering the mentoring Turner received under the three time Defensive Player of the Year, mentally, Turner is on par with a multi-year veteran,
His physical development benefitted from this offseason. 2023 was about building up Turner’s draft stock, 2024 is about player improvement. With less distractions, more experience and an arsenal of pass rushers flanking him, Turner will establish himself as one of the league’s best this season.
Perhaps an All-Pro selection is calling his name.