Bengals Rookie DJ Turner on First Career Start, Physicality of NFL
Bengals Rookie DJ Turner on First Career Start, Physicality of NFL
Transcript
00:00 I'm sure you've answered a bunch of questions,
00:02 but what was it like making your first NFL start?
00:04 It was definitely great, my first NFL start.
00:08 I can say it was great.
00:10 And I came out with a dub, and that's all that matters for it.
00:13 Flying around, made tackles in the run game,
00:15 obviously had to guard some guys,
00:17 different coverages and stuff.
00:19 That aspect of it, it seems like you haven't missed a beat
00:22 since training camp.
00:23 Zach Taylor praised you today for making plays in camp.
00:26 Has there been an overwhelming aspect to the regular season?
00:30 Because it doesn't feel like it.
00:31 No, I wouldn't say overwhelming.
00:33 I saw everybody.
00:34 I mean, when it comes to receivers,
00:36 we've got the best receiver in the league.
00:38 So you get comfortable with guarding them,
00:41 it definitely helps your confidence going into each game.
00:43 So that's really what I say.
00:44 It's a blessing I came here, is to where any learning curve
00:47 that would have happened, that would have to happen in camp.
00:50 And so it definitely helps you take games confidently
00:53 when you go against boys like that.
00:54 What was the most important thing
00:56 you learned from training camp and all of the reps
00:58 you got then, DJ?
01:00 That I can do it.
01:01 That was the main thing.
01:03 Going to NFL as a rookie, it's the NFL.
01:05 So you see these boys, like Jamar, T, Tyler Boyd, Joe Burrow,
01:09 all these boys, he's like, can I do it?
01:12 And so when you know you can do it, it's all right.
01:15 No, I'm good.
01:15 And so that's really the main thing.
01:18 Physical part, you came up in space, tackle James Conner.
01:20 If you don't, it's a big play.
01:22 He's obviously a bigger physical back.
01:25 That element, I think, at least pre-draft,
01:27 they would have said size-wise.
01:29 You come up and make that tackle.
01:31 What's your mindset from that point?
01:32 Because everyone knows how--
01:34 everyone knows your speed and all of those things.
01:36 But you're making tackles in the run game, too.
01:38 Yeah, yeah, yeah, 100%.
01:40 I mean, I always said I could tackle,
01:42 even when they asked me in pre-draft.
01:44 So it wasn't a surprise to me.
01:47 But it was definitely a good thing to show that I can.
01:49 With Tito originally just kind of easing back in and then
01:53 being out last week, do you feel like your learning curve has
01:56 been kind of accelerated faster than maybe you thought,
01:59 just because they really needed you?
02:02 I mean, yeah, it definitely would be, you know,
02:05 than maybe the typical rookie.
02:07 But I feel like, like I said, a lot of learning curves
02:09 happen for me in camp.
02:11 And so like I said, as soon as I got here,
02:14 they brought me in with open arms, and we hit the road.
02:18 This week-- well, last week, you're
02:19 guarding Hollywood Brown, a speedster.
02:22 This week, you have DK Metcalf, who's completely different.
02:24 I'm sure you'll see him some.
02:27 How do you go about it facing-- and they have a speedster, too,
02:30 obviously, on Lockett--
02:31 face a speedy guy versus a big physical guy at receiver?
02:35 I mean, you just got to do--
02:36 maybe I switch it up, maybe not.
02:38 You know, just depending on how you see in game.
02:40 You know, you got to make in-game adjustments.
02:42 That's a big thing when it comes to top receivers like that,
02:44 top quarterbacks like that.
02:46 You got to be able to change in game.
02:47 So that's what I would say.
02:49 Coverage-wise, for you personally, like one-on-one,
02:51 does it change just in general when you face bigger players
02:54 versus small, fast guys?
02:56 It could.
02:57 It could, but maybe not.
02:59 You know, it really just depends on, like I said,
03:02 filling out the receiver, knowing I can do,
03:04 feeling how he is, the splits.
03:06 It just really just depends on-- it's so situational.
03:09 I assume it helps playing against T and Chase,
03:11 like you said.
03:12 Yeah, exactly.
03:12 Like, going against them definitely
03:13 helps any situation that comes up with receivers.
03:16 And last thing for me, what's it been like playing
03:18 with Daxil again here?
03:20 Obviously, we asked you after you got drafted,
03:22 but you've been on the field with him now for five games.
03:24 Yeah, yeah, yeah.
03:24 I mean, it's just like college for you.
03:26 I mean, it's great.
03:28 You know, it's crazy thinking about that we
03:30 was in college with each other in the secondary,
03:32 and now we're literally in the NFL with each other
03:34 in the same secondary.
03:35 Like, it's cool, and it's definitely a positive thing.
03:38 Appreciate the time.
03:38 Thank you.
03:39 Yeah, you're welcome.
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