Inside The Vikings

Vikings Trade Up, Select Alabama EDGE Dallas Turner With 17th Overall Pick

The Vikings have traded up twice in Thursday's first round, landing quite a haul.

Will Ragatz

Dec 2, 2023; Atlanta, GA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide linebacker Dallas Turner (15) celebrates
Dec 2, 2023; Atlanta, GA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide linebacker Dallas Turner (15) celebrates / John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports
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The Vikings have traded up from 23 to 17 and selected Alabama edge rusher Dallas Turner with their second first-round pick of the 2024 NFL Draft. After moving up one spot to take Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy, the Vikings moved up six spots to go get Turner, who many thought might be the top defensive player off the board this year.

For the first time ever, offensive players were taken with each of the first 14 picks in this draft. That pushed the big-name defensive players down the board. After Laiatu Latu and Byron Murphy II were the first two defenders drafted, the Vikings made an aggressive move to go up and get Turner, who should be an excellent fit in Brian Flores' blitz-heavy scheme.

The Vikings traded a a 2024 fifth-round pick (No. 157), a 2025 third-rounder, and a 2025 fourth-rounder to the Jaguars to move up from 23 to 17.

Turner had 11 sacks and 15.5 total TFL last year as a junior for Alabama, earning consensus All-American honors. Across his three years in college, he had 23.5 sacks and 33.5 TFL, including 8.5 sacks as an 18-year-old true freshman. Turner isn't the biggest edge rusher, but he's remarkably athletic and has all of the tools to become a star in the NFL.

Here's the scouting report from The Athletic's Dane Brugler:

"As a pass rusher, Turner is quick off the ball to get underneath blocks or bury his hands into the chest of blockers to convert his speed to power. Despite lacking ideal bulk, he plays physically at the point of attack and is a strong run defender (aside from some missed tackles that need to be cleaned up) with an elite competitive motor. Overall, Turner is a long, explosive edge rusher with the body twitch, hand usage and play strength to leverage blocks and be disruptive in multiple ways. He has the freaky tools to be a potential impact player in the NFL who should continue to improve as his body and rush attack mature."

This is a huge get for Flores and the Vikings. Turner is great value at the 17th pick, and he has a chance to be a foundational piece of Minnesota's defense moving forward. In 2024, he'll be part of a rotation at OLB with free agent acqusitions Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel.

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Will Ragatz
WILL RAGATZ