Brian Flores knows he got a steal in the NFL Draft at No. 17 overall as the defensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings.
Many draft prognosticators had Dallas Turner of Alabama football going in the top 10. He was arguably the best edge rusher in the class — especially after posting 14.5 tackles for loss, 10 sacks, and 13 quarterback hurries for a Crimson Tide team that dethroned a two-time defending College Football Playoff National Champion in the Southeastern Conference title game.
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Turner, who posted an insane 4.46-40 time at the NFL Combine, is ready to dominate as a rookie.
Flores sees a three-time Super Bowl Champion and former Alabama great in Turner’s game. He compared the South Florida native to Dont’a Hightower. Hightower came in the Crimson Tide’s first marquee recruiting class of the Nick Saban era in 2008.
He played on two BCS National Championship teams (2009, 2011) and captained a defense in 2011 that led college football in all major defensive categories. Hightower was a Consensus All-American and first-team All-SEC selection in 2011.
He spent his entire career with the Patriots after getting selected at No. 25 overall in the 2012 NFL Draft. Hightower was a three-time Super Bowl champion and two-time Pro Bowl selection. He made the Patriots’ All-Dynasty Team and All-2010s Team.
Flores said Turner is big, fast, and physical like Hightower.
Definitely see Brian Flores’ vision in comparing @UnoErra to @zeus30hightower. pic.twitter.com/EPQqVbr7tm
— NFL (@NFL) May 9, 2024
Turner is prepared to live up to the comparison.
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Stephen M. Smith is the senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
