Vikings' Dallas Turner off to slower start than fellow rookies on defense

Coming from the college game to the NFL is never easy, regardless of how some players make it look season to season. There is a learning curve both mentally and physically, and for some positions, it can be even more significant.

For Vikings’ rookie Dallas Turner, the curve is still being worked on after being drafted in the first round of April’s draft.

In a recent mailbag post, The Athletic’s Alec Lewis was asked about his development. In comparison to others in the class, he is lower in terms of pressure rate. Other rookies, such as Jared Verse, Laiatu Latu, and Chop Robinson, were just some of the rookies who had more success than he had.

To their credit, though, they have almost doubled the number of snaps played compared to Turner.

With Turner showing slower development, the Vikings don’t need him to be dominant on day one. Playing alongside Pat Jones II, Jonathan Greenard, and Andrew Van Ginkel allows him to pick up their scraps while working important mental reps.

He will be along in due time; there is no need to rush the former-star Crimson Tide defender.