Michigan Named To Dallas Turner's Final Five
In the 2021 class, Michigan is two-for-two on landing commitments from Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas with three-star cornerback Ja'Den McBurrows and four-star linebacker Jaydon Hood in the fold. But the Wolverines are hoping to hit a trifecta when four-star defensive end Dallas Turner announces his college decision.
Earlier today, U-M moved one step closer to that wish becoming a reality when Turner released a final five group of Michigan, Georgia, Florida, Oklahoma and Alabama.
According to Rivals.com, Turner is listed as the No. 7 weak-side defensive end in the nation at a position that is one of the deepest across the country. Turner checks in as a top 150 player nationally, and recruits of that caliber are regularly expected to make early impacts at whichever program they choose.
For Turner, that projection is well within the scope of his talent. Standing at 6-4 and 222 pounds, Turner is athletic enough to play a bit of linebacker at the next level. He has the explosion from a three-point stance to gain a step on opposing blockers, and Turner's long arms help in his pass rush pursuit as well. But when necessary, Turner is mobile and fluid enough to drop back into coverage and present some different looks to other offenses.
From a gameplay standpoint, Turner is quite similar to Michigan commit Kechaun Bennett. Both prospects are highly touted pass rushers that have the quickness and agility to collapse the pocket but also can move around the defense and can play multiple positions due to their versatility. According to Bennett and new Michigan commit Quintin Somerville, Michigan is toying around with the idea of using a bigger player in the Viper role, and Turner could actually assume that position relatively smoothly given his current playing style.
From a recruiting standpoint, Turner has taken visits to Michigan, Alabama, Florida and Georgia already, so he's built a level of comfort with each of these schools. But one aspect that works in Michigan's favor is the fact that Turner is teammates with McBurrows and Hood, two players that have been vocal about recruiting the talented pass rusher to Ann Arbor. Shortly after committing, McBurrows mentioned that he plans on bringing Turner with him to Michigan, so there has been discussion among the three players about teaming up at the next level as well.
Another feather in Michigan's cap is that St. Thomas Aquinas head coach Roger Harriott is quite comfortable sending his players to play football at Michigan. In fact, Harriott commended the work done by U-M defensive coordinator Don Brown and linebackers coach Brian Jean-Mary shortly after McBurrows committed to the Wolverines. These relationships are important as Michigan looks to build a pipeline of sorts from St. Thomas Aquinas to Ann Arbor.
Right now, Turner is set to announce his college decision on July 1. According to the crystal balls at 247Sports.com, Turner is expected to choose Alabama, but a couple predictions exist for Turner and Georgia, so his final destination is yet to be seen.
Do you feel confident in Michigan's ability to add another talented defensive lineman to the program when Turner announces? Will the staff continue to pursue him if he commits elsewhere? Let us know!
