Had his name called Thursday night and @pt_turner98 is straight back to the Lab! @Saints got them a dawg! #WhoDat pic.twitter.com/YFAW6XkyGz
— Coach Brandon Jordan (@CoachBTJordan) May 3, 2021
Payton Turner knows he’s got a big opportunity in front of him, so he isn’t wasting any time in preparing for it. Less than a week after being selected in the first round of the 2021 NFL draft, he has teamed up with Trench Performance’s Brandon Jordan, a defensive and offensive line specialist based in Houston who lists Lions defensive tackle Michael Brockers and former Steelers pass rusher Bud Dupree, now with the Titans, among his pro clients. He trained 20 rookies who were selected in this year’s NFL draft, including Turner.
Turner has all of the ability in the world. He’s big and long and fast, and already knows how to play with a hand in the dirt. That’s a skill Marcus Davenport is still learning, which makes the negative comparisons some Saints fans have drawn between the two first rounders ring hollow.
If Turner can figure out how to use his natural talents to his advantage — protecting his chest from blockers with those 35-inch arms, and extending his 84-inch wingspan to corral runners back inside — he’ll make an immediate impact for the Saints up front. It’s unclear just yet how often he’ll play in a crowded position group with Davenport, Cameron Jordan, Carl Granderson, and Tanoh Kpassagnon all competing for reps, but the work he’s putting in over the summer should pay off in the fall.
