Wake Forest DL Kobie Turner named to PFF Midseason All American Team

The transfer from Richmond is graded as the best IDL in college football

Yesterday, Wake Forest defensive lineman Kobie Turner was named a midseason second-team All American by Pro Football Focus.

After transferring from Richmond, an FCS team, before this season, Turner has blossomed as a key piece of the Deacs’ defensive line. Over the first six games, the redshirt senior leads the team with 5.5 tackles for loss and two forced fumbles — the fumbles are good for No. 2 in the ACC and top 10 in the nation.

READ: Boston College Head Coach Jeff Hafley on matchup with Wake Forest

“That’s what’s so impressive about Kobie Turner, his maturity and buy-in from the get-go,” Wake Forest head Coach Dave Clawson said before the Liberty game, where Turner graded as the team’s best defender. “You watch the film, you can take six to eight clips of him every single game and it’s how the game should be played. Effort and pursuit. He's been a huge addition.”

According to PFF, Turner is currently scored (92.8) as the best overall interior defensive player in the entire nation. The closest member of the ACC, Calijah Kancey from Pitt, is over two full points lower. Turner is also listed as the best run defender (92.2) at the position in the country, nearly two points higher than any other player. As a pass rusher (90.8), Turner is third in the NCAA, notably contributing 14 quarterback hurries to the attack. His 16 run stops and two batted balls are both in the top 10.

In their most recent win over Army, Turner was graded as Wake Forest’s best defender (92.0) by over 10 points and best pass rusher (94.4) by more than 15. That performance landed him on PFF’s Week 6 Team of the Week.

Despite the recognition, Turner is far more focused on the road ahead.

READ: Series History - Wake Forest Football vs Boston College

“We’ve all bought into the idea of a one-week season,” he said. “It doesn’t matter what happens at the end of the season if we don’t take care of what happens now. Every week you have a chance to go 1-0. When you have that mindset, it’s easy to block out the distractions.”

Follow @DeaconsDaily on Twitter and Instagram for more Wake Forest content