Dallas Turner had to wait a little longer than expected to hear his name called Thursday night. The Alabama edge rusher finally came off the board at No. 17 overall when he was selected by the Minnesota Vikings.

This year's draft opened up with 14 offensive players coming off the board before the Indianapolis Colts took UCLA edge rusher Laiatu Latu as the first defensive player at pick No. 15. From there, Turner fell another spot before the Vikings traded up to end his slide.

This marks the second straight year Alabama has produced a first-round pick at the edge rusher position. Will Anderson Jr. was the first player selected in last year’s draft when he was taken No. 3 overall by the Houston Texans. Anderson lived up to his high selection, earning NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year honors last season. Now Turner will look to do the same as he joins a Vikings defense in need of a boost to its pass-rushing unit.

This past season, Turner earned SEC Defensive Player of the Year honors, leading Alabama with 10 sacks, 14.5 tackles for a loss and 13 quarterback hurries over 14 games. The five-star defender also recorded a pair of forced fumbles and a pass breakup. Over his three seasons with the Crimson Tide, he compiled 22.5 sacks and 32.5 stops for a loss over 38 games.

Turner offers elite athleticism to match his production on the field. During this year’s NFL Scouting Combine, the 6-foot-3, 247-pound defender registered a 4.46 time in the 40-yard dash as well as a 40.5-inch vertical jump. His 40-time was nearly a tenth of a second faster than the 4.54 mark running back Derrick Henry recorded in 2016, while his vertical was an inch and a half higher than Washington star receiver Rome Odunze.

“He’s a physical freak and he jumps out," former NFL Mike Smith said. "He’s one of the most explosive players in the draft this year. He’s expanded his pass rush repertoire and he’s not a one-trick pony. He plays strong at the point of attack, and he has the chance to be a dominating pass rusher."