Taylor Fleming

Nick Saban once held up Dallas Turner as a lesson for young players. Not for a sack. For how he handled sitting on the bench. Now, in his third NFL season, one man has more pressures than 7 entire NFL defenses. Turner showed up at Alabama in 2021 as a five star recruit. When the season started, he was third string. He did not complain. He watched how Will Anderson prepared, the guy who led the country in sacks that year, and did the same thing. When injuries opened a spot, he was ready. He finished his freshman year with 8.5 sacks. Saban told a room full of coaches about it. "Dallas Turner, on the third team when the season started." Saban said Turner "works his butt off," and when his chance came, "he was ready to take advantage of it." By his last year at Alabama he was a consensus All-American and SEC co-Defensive Player of the Year. Minnesota traded up to take him 17th overall. Then he had to learn it all over again. Through 14 weeks of his rookie season, he played 202 snaps. One sack. So he did what he did at Alabama. He found the best pass rusher in the room and stayed close. That was Jonathan Greenard. "If I didn't have J.G. my rookie year, I probably wouldn't be where I am mentally, physically and spiritually." "He played a big role in my career. Honestly, just being a big brother." Year two: 8 sacks. 4 strip sacks, tied for the most in the NFL. This offseason, the Vikings traded Greenard to Philadelphia. So Turner became the big brother. After practices at training camp, he stayed late to run wind sprints with the young defensive linemen. Then the games started. Next Gen Stats has him with 20 pressures, the most of any player in the NFL. That is more than 7 entire defenses. The Bears have 19. So do the Jaguars and the Steelers. The Cardinals have 17. The Dolphins have 16. The Giants have 12. The Rams have 10. Sunday in Chicago, he ended the game himself. Fourth and 2, one second left, the Bears needing a touchdown. Sack. Vikings 9, Bears 3. "DT being our closer, finishing the whole thing," Kevin O'Connell said. "DT just keeps showing up." Andrew Van Ginkel said it best. "It's been a long couple of years for him, but he's earned this spot." Third string at Alabama. One sack in 14 weeks in Minnesota. Both times, he waited, learned from the star in front of him, and took the job when it came. Saban called it a lesson. Turner keeps proving it.