Dallas Turner is one of the most highly regarded edge rushers in this year’s class and looks poised to be selected early in the 2024 NFL Draft.
How did the star prospect reach the precipice of becoming an NFL player?
Where Did Dallas Turner’s Football Career Start?
Turner jumpstarted his football career at St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. He helped the school win back-to-back Florida 7A state championships and the high school national championship in 2019, finishing with 36 total tackles, 25 tackles for loss, and 13 sacks as a senior.
He was rated a five-star recruit by 247Sports and the No. 1 EDGE prospect in his class. Turner was also the No. 3 player in Florida and the 12th overall recruit nationally in the class of 2021.
Revisiting Turner’s College Career
Turner committed to and signed with Alabama out of high school, and quickly made his mark at the collegiate level as a true freshman in 2021.
He appeared in all 15 games, including three starts, and tallied 30 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks, five quarterback hurries, and a fumble recovery on his way to making the All-SEC freshman team.
Turner built on that performance with a strong sophomore season as well, notching 37 tackles, eight tackles for loss, four sacks, nine pressures, and one fumble recovery for a touchdown.
Turner truly broke out during his junior year this past season, however. He racked up 53 tackles, a team-high 14.5 tackles for loss, ranked eighth nationally with 10 sacks and added 13 quarterback hurries, two forced fumbles, and one pass breakup as he helped guide the Crimson Tide to a College Football Playoff appearance.
Turner’s Potential in the NFL
Turner is widely regarded as the top EDGE prospect in the 2024 NFL Draft class and likely to be selected early in the first round of the draft.
Pro Football Network’s Ian Cummings has Turner rated as the top EDGE in the class and No. 7 prospect overall on his big board, 11 spots ahead of Penn State EDGE Chop Robinson.
MORE: Ian Cummings’ Full Scouting Report of Dallas Turner
Cummings highlighted plenty of the tantalizing aspects of Turner’s draft profile in his scouting report of the standout EDGE.
“Turner grades out as a borderline top-10 and blue-chip prospect in the 2024 NFL Draft, and he’s the top EDGE prospect on my board. A young, productive player with an all-encompassing physical profile and a steep upward track, there isn’t much preventing Turner from being an early first-round pick.
“Turner came into the 2023 spring period in the 240-pound range, but he played the 2023 campaign at a listed 252 pounds, and his play strength looked visibly improved. Not only that, but Turner retained his freakish explosiveness, speed, and bend. And in little moments, we got to see what his ceiling could look like.
“Even with hand-usage improvements, Turner can still strive for more consistency, both with his pass-rushing plan and overall hand precision. But Turner has one of the most complete physical pallets of any EDGE over the past five years, and it yields astronomical upside.”
Highlights, Records, and More
Turner has taken home some notable hardware over the course of his football career, led by consensus first-team All-American honors this past season. He earned first-team nods from the AFCA, Associated Press, FWAA, The Sporting News, CBS Sports, The Athletic, and USA Today, alongside second-team selections from Walter Camp and Sports Illustrated.
Alabama OLB Dallas Turner is an EXPLOSIVE force off the edge #RollTide pic.twitter.com/T9ldHf66PV
— College Football Network (@CFN365) May 31, 2023
Turner was also named the SEC’s Defensive Player of the Year for his efforts alongside first-team All-SEC honors. For College Football Network’s end-of-season awards, Turner made first-team All-SEC.
Those awards come on the heels of Turner earning Freshman All-America honors from 247Sports and the FWAA alongside SEC All-Freshman honors for his standout debut season in 2021.
KEEP READING: Top EDGEs in the 2024 NFL Draft
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