5 early contenders to be the Vikings first-round pick in 2024
By Adam Carlson
Vikings first-round pick contender No. 2
Dallas Turner, edge - Alabama
If the Minnesota Vikings take care of the quarterback position in free agency, that leaves a few options for where to spend their first-round draft pick. One of the biggest needs will likely be an edge rusher to start during the 2024 NFL season.
Minnesota may not be able to afford to bring back Danielle Hunter after his excellent season hunting quarterbacks and it is unlikely to bring Marcus Davenport back for another year. That means there will be an opportunity for a young pass rusher to have a huge role in Brian Flores' defense.
Alabama edge rusher Dallas Turner is an interesting option. The six-foot-four defender has 14.5 tackles for a loss including 10 sacks on his way to 53 combined tackles in 2023. In his three years Alabama, Turner accumulated 22.5 sacks.
If Turner goes early, there are other edge rushers available to the Minnesota Vikings at No. 11 overall. The team will likely be selecting an edge rusher at some point during the draft, and it could happen in the first round.