Star edge rusher Danielle Hunter of the Minnesota Vikings is expected to leave in free agency this offseason. In that scenario, NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah thinks they’ll select a suitable replacement right away in the April draft.
Jeremiah’s 2024 mock draft, version 2.0, has the Vikings selecting Dallas Turner of Alabama as the first edge rusher off the board.
Jeremiah wrote, “I’m not sure the Vikings will have the ammunition to trade up for one, but I wouldn’t rule out the Vikings drafting a quarterback early.” “They address the need for pass-rush help, with Danielle Hunter headed for free agency.”
Turner, who is six feet four, has the kind of speed and athleticism that could make him a terrifying threat for the Vikings when he comes off the edge. During the Crimson Tide’s previous season, he recorded career.
Turner, meanwhile, provides an analytical justification for the Vikings. The Alabama star is deemed to be the best fit for Minnesota in the most recent mock draft conducted by NFL Network’s Cynthia Frelund, who projects which player will increase a team’s win total the most by analyzing free agent information and market values.
In my 10-season sample, Turner’s bust is ranked in the top 20% of edge prospects. His pressures cause disruption more frequently because he doesn’t lose speed or velocity when traveling in a non-straight line, according to Frelund’s writing. “If Turner is the winner here, I’m pretty sure defensive coordinator Brian Flores would write GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah a handwritten thank-you note.”
Only two of the Vikings’ nine selections—numbers 11 and 42—came from the first three rounds of the draft this year. Thus, even though they might be interested in one of the class’s best quarterbacks, they’re probably going to stick with No. 11. However, Turner is a decent enough replacement if a quarterback doesn’t fall into their laps.
