Is Alabama LB Dallas Turner the best defensive player in the SEC?

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – With Will Anderson moving on to the NFL, Alabama will have a new No. 1 edge rusher this fall. But Anderson’s departure also leaves an opening for the title of best player on the defensive side of the football in the SEC. Can Dallas Turner fill both vacancies?

The Crimson Tide’s junior outside linebacker believes so.

“I feel like I am,” said Turner when posed the question at SEC Media Days. Why? “Just my motor, my ability to pass rush, be versatile and play multiple positions.”

After closing out the 2021 season as a starter, Turner was Alabama’s first-team Sam linebacker for the duration of the 2022 season, playing in all 13 games with nine starts. He didn’t put up the same numbers as his freshman year, finishing with eight tackles for loss and only four sacks, but Turner was still impactful with more tackles (37) and hurries (9) – and finding the end zone on a fumble return – as he and Anderson formed a formidable pass-rushing tandem.

Turner had the opportunity to learn from Anderson the last two seasons after joining the Tide as a former 5-star recruit out of Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Entering his junior year, one many believe will be his last before turning pro himself, Turner looks to implement those lessons this year.

“He has paved the way for a lot of guys in the linebacker room,” Turner said. “There are also guys that can come and fill those shoes, replace him in some way, like Chris Braswell, Keanu Koht, Quandarrius Robinson, Jeremiah Alexander, guys like that. A lot of guys like that looked up to Will, seeing what he did, seeing him grow, make mistakes. We just learned from that, keep going off of it.”

“… I feel like Will taught me a lot. We taught each other a lot, I’ll say that. But just seeing him grow, him seeing me grow, it’s been very good. I took a lot of things for him. I feel like I wouldn’t be who I am today without him. I’ll say that. He’s a very important person in my transition from high school to college football.”

Turner and his defensive teammate Kool-Aid McKinstry are expected to be voted to the All-SEC Team later this week, and the two juniors are certainly candidates to claim best defensive player in the league rights. But McKinstry deferred to the outside linebacker Wednesday morning.

“Dallas has a drive, a motor that most people don’t have,” McKinstry said. “He don’t quit. And me, as a corner, I know pass rush is very important to my position because if we don’t get a rush, it’s gonna be very hard on me. I love Dallas the most.”

Alabama’s other SEC Media Days representative, offensive tackle JC Latham, faces Turner on a regular basis in practice, and he didn’t hesitate to agree with his Crimson Tide teammates.

“Dallas has size, athletic ability and on top of that, he has the repertoire in his bag that he can do at any given moment,” Latham said. “I know it didn’t count because he got a penalty for the facemask, but Ole Miss, when he had ghosted somebody. A ghost move is not easily able to be performed, so the way he performed it, essentially flawlessly, and got the quarterback shows what type of player he is. It’s not a one-time thing. He can do it on a constant basis.

“I think that’s what separates him.”

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