NFL Draft Profile: DJ Turner, Cornerback, Michigan Wolverines

NFL Draft profile scouting report for Michigan CB DJ Turner

DJ Turner
Michigan Wolverines

#5
Pos: CB
Ht: 5110
Wt: 178
Hand: 0958
Arm: 3068
Wing: 7338
40: 4.26
DOB: 11/9/2000
Hometown: Suwanee, GA
High School: IMG Academy
Eligibility: 2023

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One Liner:

Turner is a small but twitchy cornerback with good technique and exciting athletic ability that should make him an asset in man coverage.

Evaluation:

Turner is battle tested. In 2022, he drew assignments against current or future NFL prospects Jacob Copeland, Dontay Demus Jr., Emeka Egbuka, Marvin Harrison Jr., Quentin Johnston, Charlie Jones, Jayden Reed, Mitchell Tinsley, and Parker Washington. Turner takes significant experience and proficiency in man and zone coverages to the NFL. He lines up to the boundary and field sides of the defense. Turner appears most comfortable in man coverage when he’s lined up at or near the line of scrimmage. He displays silky smooth speed in the open field with elite closing burst and pursuit speed. Turner’s speed allows him to stick with burners and recover if he surrenders a step near the line of scrimmage. His twitch and quick reactions cause problems for offenses hoping to throw shorter routes. The former four-star recruit has loose and fluid hips that don’t restrict his movements. He appears to have acceptable but not elite arm length for a cornerback. Turner squeezes outside releases along the sideline and doesn’t mind getting physical mid-route. There are examples on his tape of high-end play and route recognition. Turner baits quarterbacks into throws when he’s sitting in zone and frequently jumps routes to make plays on the ball. He’s excellent at reading the quarterback’s eyes and timing his actions to disrupt plays at the catch point without drawing flags. There are flashes of Turner landing a stiff one-handed punch in press coverage, but he prefers to show patience early in the stem. This helps him mirror the receiver’s release before getting in phase and remaining attached for the rest of the play. Turner is sticky at the top of routes. He plays with quick footwork and a low backpedal. The IMG Academy product is quick to trigger on short routes and screens. He’s a willing tackler who blows up screens and lands some hard hits with a head of steam. Most of the time he wraps up and drags down ball carriers. Turner appeared on Bruce Feldman’s 2022 Freaks List. The cornerback clocks up to 23.07 miles per hour on the GPS and runs a 4.28 40-time. Feldman also credited Turner with running a 6.29 three-cone last offseason. For reference, Zyon McCollum ran the fastest three-cone at the 2022 NFL Combine at 6.48 seconds. The Combine’s three-cone record is 6.28 seconds. While Turner has impressive ball skills, he let a few potential interceptions escape his grasp over the last two years. The senior defensive back is undersized with a lean build. He’s likely smaller than his listed size (6'0", 180 lbs.) on Michigan’s website. It’s possible some NFL teams only view him as a slot option, which is a role Turner doesn’t have much experience filling. He could face problems at the catch point against larger opponents because of his limited vertical leap and size. Turner still looks indecisive in zone coverage at times. He gets grabby, especially when he bites on the wide receiver’s shoulder or hip fakes. The All-Big Ten cornerback doesn’t always get his head around for the ball. His punches in press coverage have inconsistent timing and accuracy. Turner allows more separation at the tops of routes than expected. Correcting some inefficient footwork should fix this issue. Teams can’t expect too much support from him in the run game. Turner struggles to shed blocks and isn’t always quick to trigger downhill against the run. He takes steep pursuit angles and isn’t immune to missed tackles.

Grade:

2nd Round

Background:

Originally from Suwannee, Georgia, Cornerback DJ Turner spent four years at Michigan and is expected to declare for the 2022 NFL draft. As a freshman and sophomore with the Wolverines, Turner played four games each season, almost exclusively on special teams. In 2021, Turner started eight of 14 games played in Michigan’s secondary and special teams unit. After 33 total tackles, seven pass breakups, two interceptions, and one defensive touchdown, Turner was honored as an All-Big Ten honorable mention by coaches and media. As a senior, Turner notched 33 tackles, 10 pass breakups, one interception, one fumble recovery, and one defensive touchdown. As a punt returner with the Wolverines, he averaged 14 yards per attempt on 2 attempts. Following the 2022 season, Turner was selected for the All-Big Ten Second Team.