Alabama DE Dallas Turner: Falcons Pick at No. 8 & 1st Defender Off NFL Draft Board?

The Atlanta Falcons need a quarterback but aren't guaranteed to find one with the No. 8 pick. Could they make Dallas Turner the first defensive player off the board?

The Atlanta Falcons are in search of their next franchise quarterback, but with four quarterbacks trending toward the top six picks, a veteran may prove to be the next-best option. Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins is gaining steam as Atlanta’s next passer, opening the door for a different direction with the No. 8 pick.

Subsequently, the board opens up for the Falcons with a plethora of options on both sides of the ball. With the most important position unavailable, pivoting to another high-value position makes a lot of sense.

Few, if any, early-round defensive players did more for their stock at the NFL Scouting Combine than Alabama edge rusher Dallas Turner.

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Turner was widely viewed as one of the top edge rushers in this class and only boosted his stock this past week. After the Combine’s festivities, Turner posted a Relative Athletic Score of 9.49, the 85th-best score out of 1637 defensive ends since 1987.

The lone knock on Turner is his size, he’s only 247 pounds, but his motor in the run game sparks optimism that his weakness can be mitigated. Everything else, seemingly, is there. He’s a tenacious pass rusher who explodes off the line of scrimmage and turns the corner well. His growing assortment of pass-rush moves is enticing and he converts to power well for an edge rusher of his size.

Simply put, he’s a quality pass rusher with the athletic ability to overpower tackles at the next level.

His 4.48-second 40-yard dash is emblematic of how the sport has changed and his similarly elite vertical and broad jumps showcase his incredible acceleration. Turner is a foil for a Falcons front that prefers to win with power but projects as an easy upgrade to the pass rush.

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It’s not their biggest need on paper, but it’s rarely a bad idea to add an edge rusher with an early-round pick – especially after taking a tight end and running back in two of the last three drafts.

Atlanta’s pass rush was mediocre in 2023, and a growing secondary can use the boost from a feared edge threat. Ones with the pedigree, production, and athleticism of Turner aren’t available at No. 8 often. If the future franchise quarterback hasn’t fallen to the Falcons, there may not be a better boost to the defense.