DJ Turner forces Mel Kiper Jr. to rewatch tape after combine workout

Former Michigan cornerback DJ Turner lit it up at the 2023 NFL Combine, running a blazing 4.26 40-yard dash, the fastest of any participant. It was enough for talent evaluators like ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. to revisit the tape.

While a fast 40-yard dash alone won’t make Turner a 1st round prospect, it will certainly have the people making the picks taking another look at the tape if need be, just like Kiper. The biggest question is whether the speed is just something Turner showed off in spandex or if it translates to his play.

“Turner is a little small — 5-foot-11, 178 pounds — but he played in both press and off coverage and outside and in the slot for the Wolverines. Quarterbacks completed 39.3% of their throws with him as the nearest defender in coverage, according to tracking by ESPN Stats & Information. He wasn’t afraid to tackle and was outstanding on special teams. You can’t coach up this kind of speed, but again, I’m going back to the tape to check on his playing speed vs. this track speed,” Kiper wrote.

Turner still needs some polish to his game. His speed can occasionally work against him as he overplays routes and he had moments where he got a little handsy or struggled to locate the ball. But the raw tools and upside are evident.

In 27 games the last two seasons, Turner has three interceptions and 17 passes defensed along with 69 total tackles.

“I’m not afraid to admit when I need to go back to the tape on a prospect. I want to rewatch Turner’s past two seasons, because he hasn’t been ranked among my top 10 cornerbacks. I had him in the early Day 3 range headed into the week, but he’s going to rise now, thanks to a 4.26-second 40-yard dash, which is the fourth-fastest time at the combine since 2003. That is flying,” Kiper wrote.