2024 NFL Draft prospect profile: Dallas Turner, edge, Alabama

Will Turner terrorize quarterbacks in the NFL?

Alabama edge defender Dallas Turner isn’t the biggest, strongest, or most technically sound edge in the draft.

He is, however, the most athletic, and that alone is enough to make him interesting to NFL teams. What makes Turner one of the top edge defenders in the draft is that he’s also strong enough for his size and has pretty good technique to harness his athletic traits.

The New York Giants have reinvested in their defensive front as the emphasis shifts there from the secondary in Shane Bowen’s scheme. Could that convince them to spend their first round pick on Turner?

Prospect: Dallas Turner (15)
Games Watched: vs. Texas (2023), vs. Texas A&M (2023), vs. Georgia (2023), vs. Michigan (2023)

Measurables

Kent Lee Platte (@mathbomb) | RAS.football

Strengths

• Athleticism
• Explosiveness
• Versatility
• Length

Turner is a long, athletic, and versatile edge defender.

Turner has an uncommon blend of natural leverage at 6-foot 2 ¾ inches tall with great length at 34 ⅜-inch arms. That not only allows him to get under blockers’ pads and play with good leverage, he also has the length to defeat blockers’ hands and keep himself clean as he rushes.

He also has great lower body fluidity, allowing him to maintain his leverage as well as bend a tight corner around the edge. Turner is able to maintain full contact with the ground through his rushes, maintaining traction and balance as he accelerates into the backfield.

He has a good array of pass rush moves that play off of his natural explosiveness and flexibility. He uses his hands and length well to keep blockers from engaging with his chest plate and slowing down his rushes. Likewise, his game is predicated on always being the low man and maximizing his leverage. Turner is able to turn speed into power and uses a good long-arm move and bull rush to counter blockers’ who over-set in anticipation of his speed.

Turner is a versatile defender who can play with his hand on the ground, from a standing position, off the edge, and rushing through the A or B-gaps. He’s also able to drop into coverage and looks relatively comfortable playing in space.

Weaknesses

• Mass
• Play strength

The biggest weakness in Turner’s game is his relative lack of mass and play strength.

He isn’t particularly small or weak, but he doesn’t have the traits to play as a traditional 7-technique defensive end. He can’t consistently match power with offensive tackles and isn’t the kind of player who can win through main strength.

That could limit his scheme fit slightly at the NFL level, and opposing offenses may attempt to target him in the run game early on in his career. He wasn’t a poor run defender at Alabama and has a good tackle radius, however he’s better in pursuit than on the play side.

There are also some instances where Turner can be a beat late off the line as a pass rusher. This doesn’t seem to be an issue with his explosiveness or processing, and is more likely mistiming the snap. His first step improved as the season went on, and could continue to improve with experience in the NFL.

Game Tape

(Turner is Alabama edge number 15)

Projection

Dallas Turner projects as a starting edge defender at the NFL level. He should be a fit in most one-gap defenses in the NFL, and would be a particularly good fit in a 3-4 or Multiple defense. That would allow him to play from a 2 or 3-point stance, and he can also rush through interior gaps as a linebacker.

Turner is capable of dropping into coverage on occasion, though he should have a greater impact in the passing game as a rusher and not a coverage player.

Teams that run pure 4-3 defenses might be more interested in another of the top edge defenders. Turner’s relatively modest mass could limit him in a classic defensive end role, though he could still be an effective speed rusher in a four-man front in obvious passing situations.

Does he fit the Giants?
Yes

Final Word: An early first-round pick