JUST IN: Who's next to commit to Alabama?
Dallas Turner has committed to Alabama. Turner, a 6-foot-4, 245-pound outside linebacker, is rated as a four-star on Rivals.com. Out of St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, he is the fifth commitment from the Sunshine State. Turner is the 10th commit in Alabama's 2021 class.
In the video above, Andrew Bone of BamaInsider.com provides what it means with Turner jumping on board with the Tide.
Dallas Turner improving under the 'Sack Sensei’ this summer
They call him the ‘Sack Sensei’ for a reason. South Florida trainer Javon Gopie works with an elite clientele, including former first-round pick Shaq Lawson and other notable NFL pass rushers. This offseason, he got his hands on Alabama’s newest commit, Dallas Turner.
Gopie believes Crimson Tide fans are going to enjoy the results in a year’s time.
Turner, the No. 7 outside linebacker and No. 135 overall player in the 2021 class, committed to Alabama on Wednesday afternoon. The South Florida native is one of the Tide’s biggest targets in next year’s class and is coming off a junior season in which he recorded 74 tackles, including 19 for a loss with 16 sacks and three forced fumbles. After working with Turner the past six months, Gopie said he wouldn’t be surprised if the four-star recruit doubles that production during his senior season.
Commitment breakdown: Dallas Turner chooses Alabama
Turner has some growing left to do when it comes to adding muscle and becoming more polished, but there are few defensive ends with more upside. A two-sport athlete, Turner is a truly elite athlete and flashes the reasons for that reputation on both the football field and the basketball court.
Turner has some (limited) experience playing linebacker, but will definitely play defensive end at the college level. As of now, his elite quickness off the edge is his defining trait and he’ll be hard to handle should he retain that speed as he adds size. The four-star prospect would likely benefit from a redshirt year to add muscle and adjust to the physicality of the SEC. That said, he comes equipped with an all-conference level of athleticism, which should be wildly encouraging for Alabama fans.
Dallas Turner's father knew his son would take a different path
Dallas Turner's father, Delon, was an outstanding high school basketball player for Carol City in Miami. He was heavily recruited and planned to attend the University of Miami. He ended up at Florida A&M where he became one of the best players in the history of the program.
Turner played for the Rattlers between 1990-1993. He left the program as the second leading scorer (1,795) and third-leading rebounder (974) in the school's history. He played professionally overseas for 12-years which included stops in Spain, Israel, Argentina, Korea and Russia.
Delon was recently inducted into the Florida A&M Hall of Fame. He was a two-time Black College All-American (1992, 1993) and was the 1992 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Player of the Year. He was a three-time All-MEAC selection (1991-1993).
"I enjoyed basketball," Delon Turner said. "I didn't really enjoy the physicality of football. I knew Dallas loved it from the first day he stepped on the field. He went the opposite direction of me."
