Cole Turner (American football)

Nicolas "Cole" Turner (born March 16, 2000) is an American professional football tight end for the Washington Commanders of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Nevada Wolf Pack as a wide receiver before switching to tight end his senior season. Turner was selected by the Commanders in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL draft.

Cole Turner
refer to caption
Turner with the Commanders in 2022
No. 88 – Washington Commanders
Position:Tight end
Personal information
Born: (2000-03-16) March 16, 2000 (age 24)
Clackamas, Oregon, U.S.
Height:6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
Weight:240 lb (109 kg)
Career information
High school:Clackamas (Clackamas)
College:Nevada (2018–2021)
NFL draft:2022 / round: 5 / pick: 149
Career history
Roster status:Practice squad
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics as of 2024
Receptions:13
Receiving yards:143
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Early life

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Turner was born on March 16, 2000, in Clackamas, Oregon.[1] He attended Clackamas High School, where he was a two-sport athlete in football and basketball.[2] He helped lead his football team to three consecutive conference titles and a state championship in 2017.[2] He led the state of Oregon in receiving as a senior in 2017 with 76 receptions for 1,325 yards and 20 touchdowns, earning him all-state honors.[2]

College career

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Turner enrolled at the University of Nevada, Reno in 2018 and appeared in 12 games as a freshman for the Nevada Wolf Pack football team as a wide receiver.[1][2] He transitioned to tight end as a sophomore in 2020, where he was given first-team All-Mountain West Conference honors after recording nine touchdown catches and finishing second on the team in catches (49) and receiving yards (605) behind Romeo Doubs.[1][2] As a senior in 2021, he was named to the All-Mountain West second-team after making 10 touchdown catches, which was tied for second in the nation among tight ends behind Georgia's Brock Bowers.[2] He played in the 2022 Senior Bowl.[3]

Professional career

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Pre-draft measurables
Height Weight Arm length Hand span 40-yard dash 10-yard split 20-yard split 20-yard shuttle Three-cone drill Vertical jump Broad jump Bench press
6 ft 6+12 in
(1.99 m)
249 lb
(113 kg)
33 in
(0.84 m)
9+78 in
(0.25 m)
4.76 s 1.62 s 2.74 s 4.33 s 7.06 s 29.0 in
(0.74 m)
10 ft 0 in
(3.05 m)
17 reps
Sources:[4][5]

Turner was drafted by the Washington Commanders in the fifth round (149th overall) of the 2022 NFL draft and signed his four-year rookie contract on May 6, 2022.[6][7] He was waived by the team on August 27, 2024, and joined their practice squad the following day.[8]

Personal life

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Turner's given name is Nicolas but has preferred going by Cole since childhood.[1][9]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Brugler, Dane. "The Beast: 2022 NFL Draft Guide" (PDF). The Athletic. p. 89. Retrieved April 22, 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "NFL Draft Profile: Cole Turner, Tight End, Nevada Wolfpack". SI.com. January 10, 2022. Retrieved May 16, 2022.
  3. ^ Murray, Chris (January 27, 2022). "Nevada tight end Cole Turner out to prove his versatility, football IQ at Senior Bowl". Nevada Sportsnet. Retrieved May 16, 2022.
  4. ^ "Cole Turner Draft and Combine Prospect Profile". NFL.com. Retrieved November 15, 2022.
  5. ^ "2022 Draft Scout Cole Turner, Nevada NFL Draft Scout College Football Profile". draftscout.com. Retrieved November 15, 2022.
  6. ^ Lambert, Ivan (April 30, 2022). "Instant analysis: Washington selects Cole Turner at No. 149". Washington Wire. USA Today. Retrieved April 30, 2022.
  7. ^ Williams, Charean (May 6, 2022). "Commanders sign four draft choices, including Sam Howell". Pro Football Talk. Retrieved May 6, 2022.
  8. ^ "Commanders sign 12 players to 2024 practice squad". Commanders.com. Retrieved August 28, 2024.
  9. ^ Murray, Chris (October 21, 2021). "COVID-induced position shift has turned Cole Turner into Carson Strong's 'safety blanket'". Nevada Sportsnet. Retrieved May 16, 2022.
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