2024 NFL Draft Player Preview: Dallas Turner

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Dallas Turner, 6-4/245 Linebacker Alabama

Dallas Turner 2024 Preview
By Charlie Campbell

Career Recap: In 2021, Alabama’s Will Anderson dominated college footballm causing havoc in the backfield. Thanks ti Anderson commanding the attention of defenses, Turner was able to put together a fabulous freshman season that saw him record 8.5 sacks and 30 tackles while rotating with other defenders. Turner played more snaps in 2022, but his production fell to four sacks to go along with 37 tackles. He was more disruptive, however, than the 2022 numbers suggest.



2023 Season Outlook: There will plenty of good tests for Turner during the 2023 regular season. It will be interesting to see how he handles dual-threat quarterbacks like Arkansas’ K.J. Jefferson and LSU’s Jayden Daniels in November. LSU on Nov. 4 could be the toughest test that Turner will face as a junior.

Skill-Set Summary: While Turner is not the biggest of defenders, he has a natural ability to put pressure on the quarterback. Turner is quick off the ball, possessing a fast first-step and a burst to get upfield. With serious speed, Turner can run the arc around offensive tackles and fly to the quarterback. Once he gets to the signal-caller, Turner will be physical and often dish out a violent hit. Turner is not a dirty player taking cheap shots, but he will aggressively take the quarterback to the ground. In pursuit, Turner is a fast defender with a burst to close and is quick to flow to the ball. He can redirect to get pointed to the quarterback and is not a stiff rusher. The junior’s calling card entering the 2023 season is as a dangerous speed rusher.

Turner is undersized, which leads to some issues. Length can give him problems, but improving his hand usage to shed blocks will make him more effective. While Turner is smaller for an edge rusher, he does show some functional strength and leverage to achieve some wins with bull rushes. Those victories will be harder to come across against NFL offensive tackles, so Turner will need a repertoire of moves to lean on.



Turner plays hard against the run and can do a good job of holding his ground or shedding a block to get in on a tackle. For the NFL through, Turner really lacks the size to play defensive end in a base defense. He would have to move Sam linebacker in such a scheme because he does not have the mass to match up for four quarters against offensive tackles who have 60-80 pounds on him.

It will be interesting to see how Alabama deploys Turner in 2023. Right now, his best fit as a pro could come as a 3-4 outside linebacker and a designated pass rusher. If he is drafted into a 4-3 defense, he will have to play linebacker in base and then move to rush off the edge in the sub package.



2024 NFL Draft Expectations: Entering the 2023 season, Turner looks like an early-round candidate for the 2024 NFL Draft.

2024 NFL Draft Player Previews - Choose Player 2024 NFL Draft Player Previews - Home Joe Alt, OT, Notre Dame Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia Javon Bullard, CB, Georgia Caelen Carson, CB, Wake Forest Cooper DeJean, CB, Iowa Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State Olumuyiwa Fashanu, OT, Penn State Michael Hall Jr., DT, Ohio State Marvin Harrison, WR, Ohio State TreVeyon Henderson, RB, Ohio State Kamren Kinchens, S, Miami Kalen King, CB, Penn State J.C. Latham, OT, Alabama Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB, Alabama Malachi Moore, S, Alabama Malik Nabers, WR, LSU Zion Nelson, OT, Miami Johnny Newton, DT, Illinois Rome Odunze, WR, Washington Ruke Orhorhoro, DT, Clemson Ja'Tavion Sanders, TE, Texas T'Vondre Sweat, DT, Texas Bralen Trice, DE, Washington Dallas Turner, LB, Alabama Jared Verse, DE, Florida State Caleb Williams, QB, USC Johnny Wilson, WR, Florida State Xavier Worthy, WR, Texas

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