Why Rams' Kobie Turner is a Top-10 Defensive Tackle

For the last few years, Los Angeles Rams general manager Les Snead has taken a different path to building a Super Bowl-contending roster. Instead of trading significant draft capitial for a win-now season, the Rams are building for the future and have struck gold in their last few cycles to secure one of the youngest defenses in the NFL.

That defense is also the lowest-paid in the league, with all of their key starters either on a rookie contract or a one-year deal. One of those rookie contracts belongs to Rams defensive lineman Kobie Turner, arguably one of the best players on the team, filled with so much talent. Against the Seattle Seahawks, he had his standout game of the season.

Breaking down Kobie Turner's performance vs. Seahawks

Turner Rams — Dec 18, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Los Angeles Rams defensive end Kobie Turner (91) celebrates after an interception against the Seattle Seahawks in the second half at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Ng-Imagn Images | Kevin Ng-Imagn Images

Playing his second-highest snap count of the season, Turner had three tackles on the day, including 1.5 sacks, five pressures, and an interception. While the Rams never envisioned him to be the replacement for the unreplaceable Aaron Donald, he has certainly filled a role that Donald filled for many. Turner has been one of Los Angeles's sack leaders since he was drafted out of Wake Forest in 2023, continuing that production on Thursday night in Seattle.

I spent some time dissecting Turner's tape on the All-22 coaches' film. It was an impressive display that showcased his value as a pass rusher and run defender, along with an occasional coverage spot drop.

Below is a bondage of clips from my All-22 viewing, four of which I will be breaking down at the bottom of this X post. We have to start with the first one early in the game, where Turner is lined up as a 2i-technique defender, meaning he is head up on the guard. Turner uses a stab-swipe paired with an swim move to get by rookie lineman Grey Zabel, corner the arc, and sack Sam Darnold.

In the next clip (moving left to right), the Rams are simulating pressure with a left side overload. The defensive backs are in man coverage with Turner and Byron Young playing the hook shells. Darnold does not see Turner dropping into his passing lane with the intended pass for Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and he takes advantage and secures a classic “big man” interception that excited not just fans but offensive and defensive linemen fanatics everywhere.

Kobie Turner was so much fun to watch last Thursday. The #Rams iDL is now up to seven sacks for the year and secured an interception in the loss vs. Seattle. One of the most underrated defensive linemen in the NFL. #RamsHouse pic.twitter.com/2s4slprCXA
— Jared Feinberg (@Jared_NFLDraft) December 24, 2025

Next, we have hand fighting here at the point of attack against Zabel. Watch how Turner fights for displacement and works into a dip/rip counter to penetrate the B-gap, acquire pressure, and secure a sack combination with Jared Verse. Turner plays with a great deal of violence in his hands and is quick with active hands to swat and swipe them away when rushing the passer.

Finally, out of the three-tech, Young explodes out of the snap to get hands-on with accurate hand placement at the point, displaying jolt from the offensive linemen with a stack-dip-rip to create pressure and force Darnold out of the pocket.

Is Turner an overwhelming force of nature? No, not by any stretch of the imagination. However, what he does provide is explosiveness of the line of scrimmage, active hand fighting at the point of attack, various rush moves and the counters to react, and violence in his hands and lower-half to anchor at the point of attack, jolt opposing linemen, and create penetration against both the run and in the pocket.

Turner is arguably a Top 10 defensive lineman in the NFL, and his third consecutive season of quality production and play suggests that to be the case. The data and film don't lie, and they tell the truth as as is: this is a great player that will soon earn his payday for the Rams this offseason.

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