New York Giants Draft Prospect Profile: CB D.J. Turner II

Nick takes a look at another cornerback in an otherwise deep class.

Author:
Nick Falato
Publish date:
Apr 11, 2023 8:00 AM EDT

In this story:

New York Giants

Michigan Wolverines

DJ Turner II, CB

Height: 5-foot-11
Weight: 178 lbs.
Class: RS-Junior
School: Michigan
Age: 22 (born 11/09/2000)

Combine Measurements

Arm length: 30 ¾”
Hand size: 9 ⅝”
40-yard-dash: 4:26
10-yard-split: 1.47
Vertical jump: 38 ½”
Broad jump: 10’11”

A former three-star recruit out of the renowned IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, where he was the 45th-ranked CB and the 54th Floridian recruit during the 2019 cycle. Turner II initially attended North Gwinnett High School in Georgia before heading to IMG Academy for his senior season. ESPN had him as a four-star recruit.

Notables

Turner II redshirt his freshman year after battling through a leg strain. He didn’t see much action until his RS-Sophomore season, where he played 620 productive snaps before playing in 746 in his last season on campus. Turner II earned All-Big-10 honors in both years he started. [STATS]

Turner II turned heads at the 2023 Scouting Combine after running a 4:26 forty-yard dash. That speed wasn’t a surprise on tape, and it was on display while tracking down Penn State QB on a draw play, where Turner II displayed his hustle to chase the opposing runner down. Turner II is an impressive athlete who is undersized and will struggle with the game's physical nature, but he is aggressive at the catch point and will do well in coverage.

Strengths

Elite quickness and long speed, combined with fluid hips
Light feet who can excel in coverage due to athletic traits
Explosive, moves well in zone-turn, great change of direction
Elite long-speed that assists in recovery when he bites on double moves or physically loses at the breakpoint
Disciplined player at the LOS in press - has solid jam when employed
Solid footwork to mirror
Very good man-mirror ability - stays in the hip pocket of horizontal breaking routes
Quick to explode through WRs on in breaking routes - good angles of attack from off
Excellent ability to stay on top of vertical routes - doesn’t allow WRs to stack
Gets his head around to locate the football when on top of vertical routes
Plays through the catch point with aggression and good technique
Excellent eye discipline in zone - high-low situations - to break on routes in front of him

Michigan State Q4, 11:25 3d & 15 to blow RB drag up
Iowa Q3, 5:43, 2nd & 21, almost pick-6
Hawaii Q2, 11:24 2nd & 10

Smart player in coverage with a solid understanding of timing
Very good recovery speed
Not physical but competitive - isn’t tentative into contact

Get More 2023 Draft Profiles here.

Weaknesses

Size, frame, and length are a deficiency in his game
Balance through contact in transition
Was outmuscled several times on tape

Nebraska Q1, 14:02 for 30 yards
Rutgers Q2, 2:33 3rd & 10; Q2, 1:50 1st & GOAL Touchdown
Michigan State Q2 10:26, 3rd & 9
Maryland Q2, 10:41, 1st & 10 - subtle push-off

Slight subtle push-offs stopped him in his tracks - concerns about physicality
Struggles with physicality were more evident on comeback/curl routes at the top of WR’s breaks
Speed bump tackler (Iowa Q3, 7:51 1st & 10)
Marginal play strength hinders him in coverage and as a tackler
Some teams may want him in the slot due to physicality concerns
Not much special teams experience

Summary

D.J. Turner II is an excellent athlete who takes his craft seriously. He seems like a film junkie because his ability to anticipate route concepts and react accordingly led to several big plays for the Michigan defense. He only had three career interceptions, but it could have been more if he secured certain throws that he timed up well.

Turner II will be successful in a man or zone coverage scheme. He played outside, but his lack of size and physicality may lead some teams to plug him in as a slot cornerback. I appreciate his overall athletic profile, ability to recover, stickiness in man, and how he uses his eyes in zone coverage. The physicality issue is hard to ignore, and his length is problematic, but his coverage is certainly a plus which may land him as a Day 2 pick in the draft.

GRADE: 6.36