In a bigger role with the Vikings, Dallas Turner gets to start against an old friend

Dallas Turner and Oronde Gadsden II spent a good chunk of their early football careers in South Florida as teammates.

Or at least not as opponents. The childhood friends faced off once in high school after Turner transferred to St. Thomas Aquinas in Fort Lauderdale for his senior season, but they never crossed paths in college.

Shown an old team photo in the Vikings locker room Tuesday, Turner said: “It’s crazy. Looking at that picture, we’re probably like 12, 11, 10 years old growing up playing football together. Dads [are] real close. ‘Bout to be a little friendly feud.”

Even in their one matchup, they weren’t head-to-head, with Gadsden playing wide receiver at the time and Turner at edge rusher.

Turner, a Vikings second-year outside linebacker, and Gadsden, a Los Angeles Chargers rookie tight end, have a better chance seeing each other directly across the line of scrimmage than ever before in their first professional game against each other as the Vikings visit the Chargers for “Thursday Night Football.”

Turner, a 2024 first-round pick, was expected to take on an increased role in his second season with the Vikings, but his responsibilities have seen an even greater uptick as veteran outside linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel has missed five games because of a concussion and neck injury.

Through six games, Turner has played 271 snaps, just 39 shy of his 2024 season total. With his snap counts this season ranging from 29 to 65 and Van Ginkel out again, it’s possible Turner pushes past his rookie season snap total against the Chargers.

Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell acknowledged this week that Turner is being asked “to do quite a bit, especially in our emphasis of trying to stop the run.”

In a phone call with the Minnesota Star Tribune on Tuesday, Gadsden recalled knowing about Turner in little league before the two had really met or played together.

“He was a monster,” Gadsden said. “He was super good, super athletic. Same way he is now … better having him on the same team rather than going against him.”

Gadsden is coming off a breakout performance Sunday. A fifth-round pick out of Syracuse in April, he made seven catches for a team-leading 164 yards in the Chargers’ loss to the Indianapolis Colts.

He broke the franchise record previously held by Antonio Gates for most single-game yards by a rookie tight end, and he also added his first professional touchdown on a 15-yard reception from quarterback Justin Herbert.

Gadsden, who took a top-30 visit with the Vikings this past spring, is the son of former Miami Dolphins wide receiver Oronde Gadsden I.

The South Florida community the pair grew up in was filled with former DI or professional athletes whose kids were all playing sports together. Turner’s father, Delon Turner, played professional basketball overseas for 10 years after attending Florida A&M.

Pat Surtain I coached Turner and Gadsden for three years at American Heritage School, where his son, Denver Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain II, overlapped with them for one season. Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Daryl Porter Jr. and Florida State safety Earl Little Jr., both sons of former NFL safeties, were also among the pair’s high school teammates, as was current Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Tyson Campbell.

Turner said being around former pros gave their younger generation “a little bit of a head start,” with “little lessons, little corrections” setting them up for success both on and off the field in the NFL.

The cycle continued with the friends themselves as they each entered the league.

It would lead to them talking about Turner’s Vikings teammates like wide receiver Justin Jefferson, running back Aaron Jones and safety Harrison Smith — “A bunch of players that we played video games [as] growing up” and were fans of, Gadsden said.

Gadsden is also familiar with Turner’s defensive coordinator, Brian Flores, saying he was a fan when Flores was the Dolphins’ head coach.

Flores has used Turner all across the defense this season — even once at wide corner — much like he would Van Ginkel, a seven-year veteran.

Turner ”does what Gink does but just much younger, so in the process he shows his maturity and how much he’s really dedicated to the game,” said Jonathan Greenard, Turner’s other veteran counterpart at outside linebacker.

Turner has lined up most this season along the defensive line (236 snaps) but has also played 21 reps at slot corner.

According to Sports Info Solutions, Turner has been in pass coverage on a tight end on 13 snaps this season, though none have been targeted for him to defend.

“We’re definitely gonna have a time where we match up at some point during the game,” Gadsden said. “I guarantee it.”

Said Turner: “It’s gonna be fun.”