ESPN Analyst Says Vikings Made His Favorite Pick in the Entire Draft
The Vikings trading up to select Alabama edge rusher Dallas Turner with the 17th overall pick in this year's draft came at a steep cost, but it may have landed them a steal. Turner, who was widely projected to be a top-ten pick, has elite upside due to his physical tools and arsenal of pass rush moves. ESPN's Jordan Reid recently named it as his favorite pick in the entire draft.
"Minnesota hasn't drafted an edge rusher in the first two rounds since 2005 (Erasmus James). The team needed to replenish its talent off of the edge after losing Danielle Hunter in free agency. While the team signed Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel during free agency, Turner provides a high upside as a pass-rusher in Brian Flores' defense. Turner led Alabama with 10 sacks and 45 pressures last season."
In the same panel discussion-style piece, Reid — and former GM Mike Tannenbaum — chose Turner as their early pick to win defensive rookie of the year. Turner has opened as the betting favorite for that award.
"Playing in Brian Flores' defense, Turner is a perfect match, as he will likely be used at multiple spots. His first-step burst and continued expansion of his array of pass-rush moves set him up for early success. Expect Turner to be moved around quite a bit and receive many opportunities to make plays in multiple ways."
The Vikings have very high hopes for Turner, which is why they were comfortable giving up a haul of several picks to go up six spots and get him. They believe the 21-year-old former SEC star can be a difference-maker in their defense for many years to come. In a post-draft interview, Flores compared him to former Patriots standout and two-time Pro Bowler Dont'a Hightower.
During his rookie season, Turner's versatility should come in handy in Brian Flores' scheme, as he can line up at different spots and play alongside players like Jonathan Greenard, Andrew Van Ginkel, Ivan Pace Jr., and Blake Cashman in the Vikings' front. This is a defense with a bunch of exciting weapons who can get after the quarterback.
Thanks for reading. Make sure to bookmark this site and check back daily for the latest Vikings news and analysis all offseason long.
WILL RAGATZ
Will Ragatz is the publisher of Inside the Vikings, an SI.com channel in the Fan Nation network. He's in his fourth season as a credentialed Minnesota Vikings beat writer, covering the team at practices, games, and all offseason long. Will posts daily Vikings articles year-round. Not only is he on top of all the latest news, he provides the analysis and context to put the news into perspective. He knows the team inside and out, which allows him to bring depth and quality to his coverage. From free agency to the draft to training camp and the NFL season, Will covers every relevant story surrounding the Vikings. Prior to taking this role in 2019, Will attended Northwestern University and studied at the renowned Medill School of Journalism. As a student, he covered Northwestern Wildcats football and basketball, among other sports, for SB Nation's Inside NU. Will was a co-editor-in-chief of the site during his junior year. In the fall of 2018, Will interned at Sports Illustrated's newsroom in New York City, writing articles primarily on Major League Baseball, college football, and college basketball for SI.com. A native of Minneapolis who still resides in the city, Will grew up a diehard Minnesota sports fan. He played baseball at Southwest High School and wrote for the student newspaper.