Dallas Turner — NFL Mock Draft Roundup 1.0

The Falcons brought in Kirk Cousins to elevate the offense to new heights, and they draft Dallas Turner to do the same on the defensive side of the ball. He's everything you want in an NFL edge rusher.

If Terry Fontenot can slide down and still grab either Turner or Jared Verse to rev up the pass rush, it will be a big win. The Falcons have come out like gangbusters this offseason, adding serious firepower to the offensive personnel, but now it's time for that defense to address its biggest need on the edge.

Turner is a little lighter than most of the edge players GM Chris Ballard typically looks at, but he's an extraordinary athlete with rare length. The former Crimson Tide star gives the Colts some added juice off the edge, boasting a quick first step and a high-energy playing style. He'd be a good complement to DeForest Buckner, Kwity Paye, and Samson Ebukam on the Indy defensive line.

GM Terry Fontenot knows that the Falcons' history at edge rusher has not been pretty in the decade-plus since John Abraham departed. He seeks to remedy that situation with this selection.

The Falcons have seemingly been searching for a top-tier edge rusher for a decade. Dallas Turner has those types of skills. They did a lot for the offense in free agency, so now it's time to add to the defense.

The offensive side of the ball is set in Atlanta -- now it's time for coach Raheem Morris to get a playmaker for the defense. Turner took over for Will Anderson Jr. at Alabama and notched 22.5 sacks and 29.5 tackles for loss in his career. Given that the Falcons finished 21st in sacks (42) and 32nd in pass rush win rate (30.9%) last season, Turner's impact would be appreciated. The Falcons could go cornerback here, too, after grabbing just eight interceptions last season as a team, but the value of a Round 2 corner is much better than a Round 2 pass-rusher.

This one is easy. With Kirk Cousins answering the quarterback question, the Falcons can draft the best pass-rusher in this class after they had 42 sacks last season (tied for 21st). Turner had an incredible workout at the combine, measuring in at 6-3 and 247 pounds, running a 4.46-second 40-yard dash, and jumping 40.5 inches in the vertical and 10-foot-7 in the broad. He had 22.5 sacks over three seasons at Alabama, and I like his movement skills. He can even play in space when necessary. Turner would be highly productive right out of the gate in Raheem Morris' scheme.

Signing quarterback Kirk Cousins certainly wasn't cheap, but the move puts the Falcons in the NFC contender class without costing draft picks. That allows general manager Terry Fontenot to grab Turner, who was tied atop the SEC with 10 sacks in 2023.