What Can We Learn About Dallas Turner?

Much has been published about the Vikings' other first-round pick, edge defender Dallas Turner from Alabama. What can NFL scouts, third-party analysts and the data tell us about him?

Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

The Minnesota Vikings traded up from pick 23 to pick 17 to draft Dallas Turner, an edge defender from Alabama that many believe may have been the best defensive player in the draft.

Given how important this piece may be to the Vikings’ defense — one in a state of uncertainty after their roster turnover and late-season collapse in 2023 — it is likely that Turner sees the field sooner rather than later.

There’s significant information available to analysts and fans about high-profile players like Turner, who not only earned top billing as a potential first-round pick, but played for a blue-chip school on a national stage.

With that in mind, I looked at the data we have available to us to see what we can learn about Dallas Turner, including quotes from NFL scouting personnel, third-party draft analysts, workout data and production data.

Who is Dallas Turner?

Traits-Based Scouting on Dallas Turner - Best Defender in the Draft?

What NFL Personnel Say About Dallas Turner

What information we have about the NFL tells us they generally loved Turner. After the draft, the Jets released a war room video and it’s notable that they thought Turner would go eighth overall to the Atlanta Falcons.

That’s a pretty strong indication of NFL sentiment, at least as far as internal intel goes. Until the Dallas Cowboys leak their draft board again, it will be difficult to get a read on what NFL teams collectively think about a player like Turner.

The next-best estimates of value we get come from pieces written by Alec Lewis and Mike Sando at the Athletic. An AFC executive told Lewis that the Vikings grabbed “a good player at good value” while an NFC staffer texted Lewis that Turner was the best player on the board.

The executives who interacted with Sando didn’t remark much on Turner specifically, though one projected a justification for the trade, arguing that if the Vikings viewed Turner like his former teammate Will Anderson Jr., then it made sense.

But we do have more anonymous scout reports available to us than ever before. When Bob McGinn of GoLongTD asked a 17-person panel of various personnel staffs across the league who the best edge defender in the draft was, Dallas Turner led the voting with 13 first-place votes and 74 “points” (five points for first, four points for second and so on) overall. After that was Jared Verse (61 points, two first-place votes).

When asked who the best “pure pass rusher” was out of the entire group – not the best prospect or complete package – eight chose Turner, who led the voting just ahead of Laiatu Latu, who had six.

In describing Turner, one scout told McGinn, “He has huge pass-rush potential, and I say potential because he wasn’t a dominant pass rusher in college. But the upside, the body type, the length, bend and speed, it’s there. His wow plays are different than the other guys’ wow plays.”

Another scout called him the best defensive player in the draft, while comparing his potential to Demarcus Ware – with a desire to get more done against the run. A few scouts echoed this language; “He does have too much coast,” another scout told McGinn. “He’ll piss you off. ‘Do it every down, please.’ He’s a top-5 pick when he turns it on.”

Not every scout saw potential, unfulfilled or not. One even called him soft for his tackling. A different scout disagreed, arguing that Turner turns it on in the biggest moments.