Rookie cornerback DJ Turner has fit in perfectly on the Bengals' defense

[Arkansas Bengal]

Charlie Goldsmith, Cincinnati Enquirer

Thu, Nov 2, 2023, 9:09 AM CDT·5 min read

 

 

As Cincinnati Bengals rookie cornerback DJ Turner II tells the story of his career, safety Jordan Battle chimes in with a question. Turner was explaining how he barely played at the University of Michigan until the middle of his junior year. “Really?” Battle asks.

 

Battle knows Turner as the second-round pick who looked like a starter from the first day of training camp with the Bengals. Battle knows Turner as the rookie who played third down snaps right away this season and has played so well that defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo is having Turner rotate series with Chidobe Awuzie.

 

It took Turner three years to prove what he could do at Michigan. With the Bengals, Turner excelled right away.

 

“I didn’t get a lot of chances early on in college,” Turner said. “Stuff happens sometimes. Things don’t go the way you planned. I had different coaches. A new defensive coordinator came in. A lot of stuff changed. You have to keep going and not give up. I always bet on myself. That’s what’s got me here.”

 

 

Cincinnati Bengals cornerback DJ Turner II has made an immediate impact in the Bengals' secondary as a second-round pick.

 

In 278 snaps this season, Turner has allowed only nine catches on 20 targets. Those nine catches have only gone for 92 yards. Turner said that quarterbacks have rarely been targeting him, and he has been a rare rookie cornerback who fit in seamlessly.

 

Before last year, Anarumo was known for his reluctance to play rookie corners. Cam Taylor-Britt broke that trend during the second half of last season. Now, Turner and Taylor-Britt look like the Bengals’ outside cornerback duo of the future.

 

“DJ Is a competitive guy, like Cam,” Anarumo said. “They want to win their battles. They want to win their one-on-ones. When you have the right mindset, especially as a young player, it’s not too big for the guy. (Turner) came from a program where they win a lot of big games. He’s not spooked by that environment. That helps. It’s all about having the right mindset.”

 

The first trait that Turner’s teammates and coaches mention is his confidence. He spent training camp refining his technique, and cornerbacks coach Charles Burks said Turner started to develop “his style of press coverage” with the lessons that Turner learned defending Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins in practice.

 

As Turner figured out those pieces, he showed a natural ability to change directions and stick with receivers. He ran the fastest 40-yard dash at this year’s NFL scouting combine, and Turner’s athleticism translated into big plays right away during training camp.

 

“DJ wants to be one of the best in the NFL,” Burks said before the start of the season. “He has definitely made that known to me. I believe that’s going to happen for him.”

 

 

Cincinnati Bengals cornerback DJ Turner II's competitiveness has immediately stood out to his coaches, and Turner has been rewarded with tough matchups.

 

Turner said he wasn’t aware of Anarumo’s track record of not playing rookie cornerbacks. Turner just knew that he had to beat out a few more experienced players in training camp and move up the depth chart. Turner achieved that goal, and as a result, he earned snaps in some of the biggest moments of the first few games of the season.

 

When Turner took advantage of that opportunity, he earned starts in each of the Bengals’ last three games. Every week, he gets more comfortable in the Bengals’ defense.

 

“You have to believe in yourself,” Turner said. “If you don’t care about the name in front of you, you’ll be good. To be a corner, you have to be confident. You’re one-on-one on an island. You can’t be doubting yourself out there. For me, betting on yourself and knowing what you can do is how I feel like I take my game to the next level.”

 

 

Cincinnati Bengals cornerback DJ Turner II is rotating series with veteran Chidobe Awuzie as Awuzie continues to get stronger following last year's knee injury.

 

Awuzie, who’s just over a year removed from tearing his ACL, remains on a snap count. Awuzie’s snaps increased in Week 3 and Week 4. But after Awuzie suffered a herniated disc in practice last month and missed a game due to the back injury, he has played fewer snaps and has come off the bench.

 

Turner rotated series with Awuzie last week against the 49ers, and Turner was on the field for big moments like Germaine Pratt’s interception near the goal line.

 

The Bengals’ rotation at cornerback will sort itself out over the course of the season, but it’s rare to even have a rookie cornerback in the position that Turner is currently in. Just two years after he became a full-time starter in college, Turner is making a push for a full-time starting spot with the Bengals.

 

“He has been playing his best ball recently,” Bengals safety Dax Hill said. “You can see the confidence he plays with, and that helps us out a lot. It’s contagious.”

 

https://sports.yahoo.com/rookie-cornerback-dj-turner-fit-140934935.html

[Jamie_B]

What gives me hope going forward that the D will still continue to be good is this young 2ndary. 

 

We may lose Cheeto but we should be ok with that the way Turner is playing.

 

My only concern about him is when he goes against WRs that have the height advantage on him, otherwise he is everything you could want in a DB.

 

Add in the Jordan Battle is playing well at Safety too, and the only thing we have to worry about on this side of the ball going into the future is replacing Mike Hilton and guys on the Dline. The 2ndary and LBs are set for the next 3 years minimum., as far as starters go.

[dex]

44 minutes ago, Jamie_B said:

What gives me hope going forward that the D will still continue to be good is this young 2ndary. 

 

We may lose Cheeto but we should be ok with that the way Turner is playing.

 

My only concern about him is when he goes against WRs that have the height advantage on him, otherwise he is everything you could want in a DB.

 

Add in the Jordan Battle is playing well at Safety too, and the only thing we have to worry about on this side of the ball going into the future is replacing Mike Hilton and guys on the Dline. The 2ndary and LBs are set for the next 3 years minimum., as far as starters go.

Yes, Turner's length is the only reason he wasn't a 1st rounder. But he can jump extremely well, which negates at least part of the lack of length. And Turner's speed and quickness is truly elite.

[Jamie_B]

1 minute ago, dex said:

Yes, Turner's length is the only reason he wasn't a 1st rounder. But he can jump extremely well, which negates at least part of the lack of length. And Turner's speed and quickness is truly elite.

 

Or at least negates it until he sees a WR taller than him that can also jump well.

 

Regardless that isnt happening often.

[texbengal]

Thanks for this article. Yes, length helps, but you can't teach speed and quickness. And instincts. He has all of those.

 

And he's really feisty, too. He isn't afraid to stick his nose in there, and he tackles well. A lot of CBs don't. 

[Mikeslumina]

Mike Hilton probably helps him translate with size being his issue

[Shebengal]

1 hour ago, Jamie_B said:

My only concern about him is when he goes against WRs that have the height advantage on him, otherwise he is everything you could want in a DB.

He goes up against Tee Higgins in practice every day. Tee is what- 6'5"?

 

Going up against Chase and Higgins in practice every day can only help all of the youth in the secondary-not just Turner.

[Jamie_B]

7 minutes ago, Shebengal said:

He goes up against Tee Higgins in practice every day. Tee is what- 6'5"?

 

Going up against Chase and Higgins in practice every day can only help all of the youth in the secondary-not just Turner.

 

Cam Taylor Britt has said this as well

[claptonrocks]

1 hour ago, Shebengal said:

He goes up against Tee Higgins in practice every day. Tee is what- 6'5"?

 

Going up against Chase and Higgins in practice every day can only help all of the youth in the secondary-not just Turner.

Higgins is 6'3.5"..arm length is 34.3"

His size and length makes him a matchup nightmare.