Minnesota defensive coordinator Brian Flores will work with first-round draft choice Dallas Turner for the first time on Friday, when the Vikings open a three-day rookie minicamp.

During a video interview for the NFL team’s official website, Flores was asked if Turner reminded him of any players that he’d worked with during his coaching career.

“The name that comes to mind, and he was another Alabama player, is Dont’a Hightower,” Flores said. “Big, fast, physical, great traits and intangibles, leadership. That’s the name that comes to mind. I would say he’s probably a little faster than Hightower.”

A consensus All-American for the Crimson Tide 12 years before Turner earned that honor in 2023, Hightower spent his entire career with New England after joining the Patriots as a first-round linebacker in the 2012 draft.

For Hightower’s first seven seasons, Flores served on New England’s defensive staff – four seasons as the safeties coach, then three as the linebackers coach before becoming the head coach of the Miami Dolphins.

Turner has been compared to Hightower by others.

“People keep comparing him to Will Anderson,” former Alabama coach Nick Saban said during ESPN’s coverage of the NFL Draft. “He’s more like Dont’a Hightower. He went inside, he got outside, we stood him up, he’s a good rusher, he can take gaps inside, so I think the versatility is phenomenal.”

Turner was flattered by the comparison.

“Being compared to an Alabama legend like Dont’a Hightower, Super Bowl champion, it’s a blessing, for sure,” Turner said. “Really his versatility at the University of Alabama was a little comparable to mine at first. But Dont’a’s that man, for sure.”

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Turner is entering the NFL like a Saban-coached defensive player, Flores said.

“He’s fast,” Flores said. “He’s physical. He’s consistently running to the ball trying to wreak havoc on whoever has it. And that is coach Saban’s system as well, and a lot of the players that have come out of that system do a great job as far as understanding the game, understanding situations and then playing fast. Dallas certainly does those things.”

Turner joined Minnesota as the 17th selection in the draft on April 25.

The Vikings entered the first round with the 11th and 23rd choices. They sent the 23rd and 167th picks in this year’s draft and third- and fourth-round selections in the 2025 draft to move up six spots to take Turner.

Flores said he had not expected Turner to be available when Minnesota chose at No. 11. The Vikings took Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy with that pick.

Flores was asked what he liked about Turner.

“That was really more what didn’t we like,” Flores said. “Obviously, very talented, but there are traits and intangibles, acumen with this young man that we really, really coveted. …

“Dallas has a mature, professional approach that leads you to believe he’s going to make the most of every opportunity that’s presented to him.”

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.