The Chicago Bears hosted their rookie minicamp last weekend, meaning coaches had their first chance to evaluate the youngsters. While offensive weapons like Colston Loveland, Luther Burden and Kyle Monangai commanded much of the attention, several new defensive additions also made strong impressions. Though it's tough to truly assess a defensive lineman in shorts and a t-shirt, defensive coordinator Dennis Allen came away impressed by rookie defensive tackle Shemar Turner.
According to Alyssa Barbieri of Bears Wire, following minicamp, Allen had some strong words about Turner. Allen said, "He's athletic. That was the first thing that we saw. You see explosion and power with this player. He's got the right temperament for what we're looking for. I think we'll have to put the saddle on him and break him a little bit … but we're excited about working with him."
Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen is impressed with what he's seen from rookie DT Shemar Turner. https://t.co/WpUJ0v2Zw0 pic.twitter.com/chHUZDGFFw
— Bears Wire (@TheBearsWire) May 12, 2025
Dennis Allen Shares Glowing First Impression of Shemar Turner
Allen's comments on Turner confirm what was seen on his college tape, which should excite Bears fans. The last two seasons, Chicago has been looking for a difference maker, a defensive tackle. Although Gervon Dexter Sr. had a mini-breakout last season, he was nowhere near consistent.
Thus, Turner showing all the traits they saw watching his tape in shorts and a t-shirt is a great sign. Over his last two seasons at Texas A&M, Turner recorded 69 tackles, 17 TFLs, eight sacks and three forced fumbles. Still, he struggled to get consistent pressure, but learning behind Grady Jarrett should help him maximize his potential with his skills.
His aggressive play style was not the only aspect of Turner that left Allen impressed. Chicago's new defensive coordinator was also left impressed by Turner as a person. Allen had this to say regarding Turner's personality, "I think he really loves football, and that's something that we look for in guys that we want to bring into the building because you have to love football to do all the things that are going to be necessary to have success in our league. He's got a good personality, and then when he's on the field, he's about business, so that's good to see."
Fans saw some of Turner's personality during his press conference following the first day of minicamp. That said, hearing that he's like that behind closed doors and that he has the drive to become a great football player should excite fans about his future. If Turner develops into a disruptive force in the middle of the defensive line, then Chicago could have a dangerous defensive line for years to come.