DJ Turner Receives High Praise Ahead Of NFL Draft

Former Michigan cornerback DJ Turner has done enough on tape and at the combine to be considered in the first round.

Anyone who happened to pay attention to the NFL Combine last month knows that DJ Turner absolutely helped himself. The 5-11, 178-pounder was always very solid at Michigan, but I'm not many people knew he'd climb draft boards like he did while working out in Indianapolis. 

With good length and size, along with very solid film from his time at Michigan, Turner turned heads by blazing the track during the 40-yard dash. Turner clocked a 4.26 — the fastest time at the entire combine and the fourth fastest since 2003.

4TH FASTEST TIME AT THE COMBINE SINCE 2003 😳

Michigan's DJ Turner ll ran a 4.27u in the 40-yard dash 💨

(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/yw6VQSb42Z

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) March 4, 2023

After running like that, analysts, scouts, coaches and anyone interested in cornerbacks decided to go back and put Turner's tape on one more time. They're now seeing an incredibly athletic player who will be close to the fastest player on the field whenever he straps it up. That has people talking.

ESPN staff writer Matt Bowen recently put together a list of draft prospects who exhibit the best of a specific trait and he tabbed Turner as the cornerback with the best technique in coverage. 

Best technique in coverage: DJ Turner, CB, Michigan

It's the footwork, hands and lateral agility that I want to point out here. Turner can play on the boundary, but I like him even more aligning inside as a slot corner. He will mirror releases and run with seams and overs with his blistering 4.26 speed -- the fastest speed at the combine this year.

ESPN's Mel Kiper now has Turner going No. 25 to the New York Giants. He referred to Turner as "a hot name in the league right now" due in large part to that blistering 40-time last month. 

"He's in the first-round discussion now," Kiper said.