Bizarre Kobie Turner slight ignores formidable mound of evidence

Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Kobie Turner is one of the best interior linemen in the game. He is elite in the pass rush. He is outstanding against the run. Yet according to league executives, coaches, scouts - or at least, according to ESPN rankings informed by their opinions - Turner isn't Top 10 at his position or even an honorable mention. 

Even taking off the Blue-and-Yellow-tinted glasses, that feels a little strange. Turner appeared only in the also-ran category, after 13 names listed above him. 

And yet, Turner's production and metrics ranked near the top of the list, whichever way you slice it. Scrolling all the way down the list of bolded names, first in the Top 10 and then the honorable mentions, finding Turner's only in the string of names at the bottom - no bolded font or write-up for him - was objectively surprising.

Turner's snub doesn't hold up against the numbers

Of course, that's not to discredit the insights of front office personnel, coaches, or analysts. Of course not. But as fans we can only make use of the tape and numbers available, and Turner passes both tests with flying colors.

No one who has seen him play will question his ability to get after the quarterback or stuff the run. Turner's numbers back up the eye test. Among interior defenders in the regular season, he tied for third in sacks and seventh in tackles for loss and recorded the fifth-most PFF pressures. In overall PFF grade, Turner ranked sixth out of 134, combining his sixth-ranked pass-rush score with an 11th-ranked grade in run defense.

Obviously, one metric isn't an end-all, be-all. Interestingly enough, PFF's top-ranked interior defender, Pittsburgh's Cameron Heyward, accompanied Turner as an also-ran. Jeffery Simmons (Titans) and Quinnen Williams (Cowboys), PFF's second and third-ranked DTs, did make the Top 10. By overall grade, they were the only players ahead of Turner in the rankings.

Turner's case does not rest solely on subjective PFF favor: see his sack, TFL, and pressure figures. Making use of his underrated length and timing, he also batted three passes and secured an interception. At 6-foot-2 and 294 pounds, Turner lacks the size of many of his peers, but he makes up for it with his speed and instincts. 

Pardon the homerism, but it's rather difficult not to see his case as similar to that of Byron Young, who was omitted entirely from the edge rusher rankings. Perhaps Turner, who like Young has played three NFL seasons, is another example of a talented young player who slipped through the cracks in the face of more mainstream reputations. 

Just to name several noteworthy examples who cracked the top 13: Milton Williams (No. 9), DeForest Buckner (honorable mention), Vita Vea (also honorable). While they all remain excellent defenders, none had a better 2025 season than Turner. 

Frankly, Williams is probably a bit overrated. He ranked 44th in PFF grade and his career-high is five sacks. Buckner has been dragged down by injuries, and Vea did not measure up to Turner in any real way last season. Entering a contract year, expect more of the same or even better from The Conductor in 2026. 

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