NFL All-Pro Impressed with Dallas Turner
Alabama linebacker Dallas Turner has caught the attention of Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan. The seven-time Pro Bowl and three-time All-Pro selection took to Twitter over the weekend to express his draw towards the Tide pass rusher.
“Turned on spring ball @AlabamaFTBL the edge, Dallas Turner. He got some huh,” Jordan wrote.
Turner, a product of St. Thomas Aquinas (Florida) High School, was rated as the No. 9 prospect nationally and No. 1 weakside defensive end in the 2021 247Sports Composite Rankings.
With injuries to Christopher Allen and Drew Sanders, Turner was thrusted into the starting lineup halfway through the season and he thrived. The Florida native registered 8.5 sacks in Alabama’s final seven contest. He added 30 tackles, including 10 for loss and five quarterback hurries in his freshman campaign.
The former 5-star recruit earned All-SEC Freshman Team and Freshman All-American recognition.
Turner is paired with the uber-talented Will Anderson to form one of the more devastating pass-rushing duos in recent memory. Anderson spoke in the spring about Turner’s desire to continue growing as a player.
“Going into this year, I think he’s been very humble,” said Anderson in March. “He’s still learning. He hasn’t been comfortable with anything. He’s still looking for that next step to help him get better and reach his ultimate goal, which is to get better.”
Anderson wreaked havoc in the Alabama spring game, forcing head coach Nick Saban had to take him out so the offense could get fair reps. A case can be made that Saban should have done the same with Turner. The rising sophomore finished with three sacks of his own and treated the Alabama offensive line like his blocking sheds.