The Minnesota Vikings’ defense made major strides in 2024, under coordinator Brian Flores, and one of the franchise’s young edge rushers could be primed to make a major leap in 2025.
Dallas Turner, chosen No. 17 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, was lost in the shuffle a bit by a defense that came to embody the swarming and attacking nature of Flores and his mad scientist-designed blitz concepts.
However, at least one former NFL Executive believes Turner could be on the cusp of a breakout campaign.
Minnesota Vikings’ Dallas Turner a Potential 2025 Breakout Star
Former New York Giants Vice President of Player Personnel, and current analyst for NFL Media, Marc Ross, lists Turner as one of his top breakout stars to watch for the 2025 NFL season.
“Turner played just 28 percent of the Vikings’ defensive snaps in his first season,” Ross writes of the Vikings’ emerging edge rusher. “Finishing with 20 tackles, three sacks, and an interception. His path to more opportunities opened when Patrick Jones II, who had seven sacks in 2024, left in free agency. Turner should wreak havoc on opposing quarterbacks alongside Andrew Van Ginkel and Jonathan Greenard in Brian Flores’ scheme.
“NFL teams can never have too many pass rushers, and the Vikings clearly took that to heart when they plugged the middle of their D-line with free-agent signings Javon Hargrave and Jonathan Allen. Expect Turner to benefit from all of these moves in Year 2 and make the “huge jump” head coach Kevin O’Connell has predicted.”
In order for Turner to have the kind of year Ross expects, the 6-foot-3 and 247-pound former Alabama standout may need to supplant Van-Ginkel, who earned Pro Bowl and Second-Team All-Pro recognition for one of the strongest seasons of his career in 2024. However, Turner has the traits and upside to contribute quality snaps for Flores in his continued mission to make life miserable for opposing quarterbacks.
