Turner picked in 1st round

Vikings select former American Heritage, St. Thomas Aquinas star

High expectations are nothing new for Dallas Turner, and he has consistently met them.

Turner went from a top local player while breaking out as a high school star at American Heritage to a rising prospect who signed with Alabama to an All-American with the Crimson Tide. Now the star linebacker is a top NFL draft pick.

The Minnesota Vikings selected Turner with the 17th pick in the draft on Thursday, making him the highest draft pick out of Broward County since Patrick Surtain II went ninth overall in 2021.

Turner broke out as a junior, racking up 15 sacks for American Heritage in 2019. For his efforts with the Patriots, he was named the South Florida Sun Sentinel small schools Defensive Player of the Year. After the season, he transferred to Fort Lauderdale powerhouse St. Thomas Aquinas, where he worked under defensive coordinator and current Miami Hurricanes defensive line coach Jason Taylor.

The results, unsurprisingly, were excellent. He notched 74 tackles,18 tackles for loss and 15 sacks in 12 games and was named the Sentinel’s large schools Defensive Player of the Year.

“Prior to Dallas’ arrival at St. Thomas Aquinas, we knew he was an extraordinary talent,” Raiders coach Roger Harriott said when

Turner was still in high school. “But what was more evident as we got to know him is he’s a competitor with an outstanding work ethic with a desire to be his brother’s keeper on and off the field.”

Turner’s dominant high school performance helped him improve his recruiting rankings. He was listed as low as No. 257 in the nation in 247Sports’ composite rankings. By the end of his high school career, he was a five-star prospect and the

No. 9 player in the class.

After signing with Alabama, Turner did not have to wait long to get on the field. He played in 15 games (including three starts) as a freshman, making 30 tackles with 8.5 sacks. He was named a Freshman All-American.

Turner became a starter as a sophomore and had a solid season, but he really became a dominant force as a junior. In 2023, Turner had 53 tackles, 15.5 tackles for loss and 11 sacks. He was named an All-American and propelled himself to being a top pick in the draft.

VASHA HUNT/ AP Alabama linebacker Dallas Turner celebrates a sack against Mississippi during the second half Sept. 23 in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Turner was selected 17th overall by the Vikings on Thursday.