Vikings took a ‘swing for a great player’ in Dallas Turner
In Eagan, Minnesota, a swarm of reporters eagerly positioned themselves on Friday to witness the Minnesota Vikings’ two first-round draft picks in their inaugural practice reps. Quarterback J.J. McCarthy warmed up on one end of the field, while linebacker Dallas Turner took his place on the opposite side. With logistics in play, a decision had to be made: which rookie would receive Day 1 coverage at the minicamp?
Unsurprisingly, the attention gravitated towards McCarthy, leaving Turner to navigate through drills amidst a sea of mostly undrafted and tryout players, his jersey number 15 blending into the background.
This trend is expected to persist throughout the spring, with quarterbacks dominating public discourse. However, it obscures the excitement the Vikings harbor for Turner, a player for whom they invested more draft capital than any first-round pick in their history.
During a brief media availability preceding McCarthy’s appearance, Turner remarked that one of the challenges of the day was tempering his intensity to match the deliberate pace of spring practices, which the Vikings believe fosters learning fundamental techniques and schemes.
“It’s like those little kids in public with backpack leashes,” Turner quipped with a smile. “The kid wants to run and play, but the mom pulls them back. It’s kind of like easing us into it.”
Despite his initial obscurity, it’s unlikely that Turner will remain in the shadows for long. Widely projected as a top-10 pick, he slipped into the latter half of the first round due to a run on offensive players. Nevertheless, for the Vikings, his selection at No. 17 marks a significant moment in their draft history.
It had been nearly two decades since the Vikings last drafted an edge rusher in the first round and over a quarter of a century since they drafted one as high as Turner. Acquiring an additional first-round pick in March and moving up to select Turner cost the Vikings a total of seven picks, the most they’ve ever relinquished for a single first-rounder.
General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah described the draft maneuver as a departure from his usual analytical approach, opting instead for a “championship mindset” to secure a potentially transformative player.
ESPN Analytics estimated that Turner’s acquisition equated to two mid-first round picks, a price tag reminiscent of the No. 1 overall selection. With expectations high, the Vikings positioned Turner where his impact is expected to be most profound – on the field.
