Shemar Turner reveals he's added 30 pounds ahead of transition to defensive tackle

Shemar Turner heads into his fourth season at Texas A&M, but he’s taking on a different position in 2024 while playing for a brand new Aggie coaching staff.

As part of this offseason of change for Turner, he’s beefed up in order to kick further inside on that defensive line. When speaking to the SEC Network’s Peter Burns at SEC Media Days this week in Dallas, TX, Turner revealed he’s added weight to get to that 300-pound mark.

“I put on, actually, like 30 pounds this offseason,” Turner revealed, adding he was even able to do it in a healthy manner. “Healthy. Chipotle, stuff like that,” he told Burns about his diet when adding weight.

But when it comes to playing, Shemar Turner told Peter Burns that the new position isn’t a drastic change.

“I mean, it’s nothing I’m not used to,” Turner said. “I didn’t play D tackle at 270. Like, last year, I played a little three-tech, stuff like that, even a little zero. The biggest change really is the combo blocks, that’s pretty much it.”

For Turner, this offseason is all about packing weight and learning how to play a slightly different spot on the defensive line.

“Just striking that sled,” he said. “Strong hands, strong legs, body, feet, all that strong, everything.”

In fact, Turner is already back in the gym and adding muscle despite an injury setback. He answered when Peter Burns asked how much weight he was squatting nowadays:

“I just got out of surgery and I’m already putting up I think 405 (pounds) is the most I did for three (reps). I had surgery on my leg probably a month ago,” he continued.

That’s a pretty impressive feat considering his leg was recently worked on. However, Turner has full confidence in the training staff and the limits they’ve set for him.

“Really, just being with my trainers, knowing what I can and can’t do, knowing my limitations,” Turner said. “Talking to Katie (Hughes) every day, asking her: What can I do? What’s my max, what’s my limit? How far can I push myself without doing too much and re-injuring myself?”

As he squats 400+ pounds, Shemar Turner appears to be on the mend for Texas A&M, and it’s good to hear that he’s taking his recovery very seriously.