Former Alabama linebacker Dallas Turner is a good bet to be the first pass rusher selected in next week's NFL draft, just as former Crimson Tide linebacker Will Anderson was a year ago. But while the former UA teammates, who played together in college for two seasons, might be similar in terms of height and weight, they get to the quarterback with very different skill sets, said NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah.
"They are not similar at all. Dallas has a little more juice in terms of his get-off and burst. It's pretty elite. He's a better bender. He's a more fluid and loose athlete than Will," Jeremiah said Thursday on a media teleconference. "Will, he's got a lot more horsepower, and not just with the bull rush. Playing through blocks, he's a little more (able to) knock (blockers) back at the point of attack against the run, whereas Turner more uses his length to set the edge."
Anderson wasted no time translating his style into NFL success. Selected No. 3 overall by the Houston Texans last year, he notched seven regular-season sacks as a rookie, plus another in the playoffs, among 45 tackles. He also blocked a kick against the Jacksonville Jaguars in September, and went on to earn AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year honors.
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Similar production will be the hope of the NFL club that selects Turner, who enjoyed his best college season last year with 10 sacks and 14.5 tackles for loss to help lead UA to an SEC championship season. Jeremiah said he believes Turner's physicality is better than some NFL scouts have given him credit for.
"There are some people around the league that aren't as high on Turner as far as him being the top (pass rusher) in this draft. They've used the word soft, he's not tough, he's not physical. I don't agree with that at all. I think there's a difference between being a violent player ... while Turner is more of a firm player. He still does a good job of not getting blown back holding the point of attack. He's just not going to get a ton of knockbacks."
Jeremiah said the Atlanta Falcons , who hold the No. 8 overall selection, are a strong possibility to select Turner. The NFL draft begins next Thursday, April 25, at 7 p.m. CT (ESPN, ABC). Former Alabama coach Nick Saban will be part of the ABC broadcast.
Reach Tuscaloosa News columnist Chase Goodbread at cgoodbread@gannett.com. Follow on Twitter @chasegoodbread.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: NFL draft expert: Dallas Turner and Will Anderson "not similar at all"
