The Minnesota Vikings have been extremely busy in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. They traded up one spot to No. 10 overall to select Michigan QB JJ McCarthy. Shortly after, they moved up from No. 23 to No. 17 in a deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars to grab Alabama star Dallas Turner. Here are the full details of the trade, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.

  • Vikings: Pick No. 17
  • Jaguars: Pick No. 23, 2024 5th, 2025 3rd, 4th

The Vikings couldn't let Dallas Turner slide further and now add him to the defense. The Crimson Tide star was arguably expected to be the first defensive player taken in the 2024 NFL Draft, so him falling this far was quite the surprise.

The Jaguars sat back and selected LSU wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. at No. 23 overall.

Now, the Vikings have made a series of moves and have been able to select McCarthy and Turner in a massive first-round haul. Turner had a magnificent career at Alabama, finishing with 120 total tackles, 32.5 tackles for loss, and 225 sacks in three years in Tuscaloosa.

And, Turner and McCarthy faced off against each other in the Rose Bowl on January 1, 2024, so they know each other.

In that game, Michigan got the win but Turner had three tackles and a sack of his now-current quarterback JJ McCarthy in a wild turn of events.

The first round of the 2024 NFL Draft was full of offense as the first 14 players selected were from the offensive side of the ball, including six quarterbacks. But, UCLA's Laiatu Latu was the first defensive player chosen in what began a string of defensive picks. After the Colts took Latu, Byron Murphy went to the Seattle Seahawks at No. 16 before Turner went to Minnesota.

Nick Saban speaks highly after Vikings select Dallas Turner

Nick Saban, the former Alabama head coach who retired after the 2023 season, was an analyst during the NFL Draft broadcast. And, of course, he had to give his thoughts on the Vikings selecting Turner after trading up for him (h/t Chase Goodbread of Tuscaloosa News).

“I thought he'd get picked between 8-12. … He can long arm you, he can turn speed to power … People keep comparing him to Will Anderson, but he's more like Dont'a Hightower.”

Saban knows best as he coached Turner in Tuscaloosa for three seasons, so Vikings fans should be thrilled with the pick. Turner is the reigning SEC Defensive Player of the Year, and defensive coordinator Brian Flores should be extremely happy with this selection.

Minnesota has now traded up twice to land McCarthy and Turner and has managed to hold on to their 2025 first-round choice in an impressive job by the front office. And, it is far from done.