First rounders Turner, Jackson gave Vikings belief in their futures this year
A theme of locker cleanout day was the jump from the two first-round picks
By Matthew Coller
EAGAN — There were mixed emotions as the Minnesota Vikings packed up their lockers on Monday afternoon. They know that the team didn’t achieve what they set out to do in 2025 but they won their final five games and there were a lot of highlight performances and positive developments toward the future. Two such developments were the significant steps forward taken by 2024 first-round pick Dallas Turner and the strong rookie season from 2025 first-round guard Donovan Jackson.
Turner finished the season with a team-leading 8.0 sacks and the second most QB pressures on the squad with 42. He did so with only 288 pass rush snaps. In terms of per snap, he finished 19th in PFF’s Pass Rush Productivity rate statistic (out of 121), just ahead of 21st ranked Rams star Jared Verse.
The second-year rusher was particularly effective down the stretch, registering the 8th best PFF pass rushing grade in the NFL from Weeks 11-18.
Turner talked about his growth in the locker room on Monday, citing his improved understanding of the pro game with more time on task.
“Knowing what to expect, knowing how to manage certain stuff and knowing how to rush in certain situations,” Turner said. “Down and distance wise and just having a better sense of awareness in Year 2 than I did in Year 1. I just get credit the coaches, for preparing me the right way.”
The former Alabama star, who turns 23 in February, started off the season slowly when he was asked to take on Andrew Van Ginkel’s more complex duel rusher/coverage role. It wasn’t until later in the season when he took on Jonathan Greenard’s reps that he started to emerge as a difference maker.
Adjustment and patience have been required for a player who dominated as a pure rusher in college but he feels that both of those things have paid off and his landing spot in Minnesota was right for him.
“I just feel like everything just fell in place perfectly,” Turner said. “Being a part of an organization like this, just me being the player I am [fit] extremely well… being a part of stuff like this in certain situations and events at this early point of my career, I just really just want it to mold me and just build a foundation.”
Turner cited Greenard and Van Ginkel as being vital in his development.
“Those guys are my big brothers,” Turner said. “The relationship that I have with both of those two dudes is extraordinary.”
The growth of Turner this season gives the Vikings a young, foundational player to build upon for the future and one of the best outside linebacker rooms in the NFL considering Greenard and Van Ginkel were both in the double digits in sacks last season and were still difference makers this year despite injuries.
They will have to work out how the rotation is going to work from the start of next season in order to maintain Turner’s opportunities to play in a rushing role but that’s now a good problem to have considering they entered the season unsure where he would stand at the end of 2025.
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