"This is crazy. Sorry y'all."
Shemar Turner repeatedly made that comment unprompted as he fielded questions from the Chicago media via Zoom Friday night, often while smiling and laughing as he began to soak in his draft night.
The Texas A&M defensive lineman's pure joy as a result of being drafted 62nd overall by the Bears was evident.
"It kind of feels surreal, man," Turner said. "I'm not going to lie. It's just a dream, bro. It's something I've been dreaming about my whole life. Being able to play in the NFL and being able to make a name for myself and create a legacy for my family and our last name, it feels good, bro. I'll forever be known now. It's just the start of a long legacy."
Turner's flashy smile and overt positivity make his on-field presence even more interesting. Described as violent, high energy, aggressive, powerful and relentless by Bears director of player personnel Trey Koziol, Turner knows how to flip the switch once he hits the turf.
Throughout Turner's football career, his mentality has been simple.
"Honestly, just to, like, kill," Turner said. "Literally just go, go, bro. That's all I'm thinking about. As soon as I touch the field, all I do is go. I've been having that mentality since [I was] a kid. I don't know what it is. I honestly don't know. It's just a fire inside me."
Koziol noted that Turner's energy was exactly what defensive coordinator Dennis Allen and his staff were searching for throughout the pre-draft process.
"We want violence and we want knock-back, and so if that was the goal, you look at a player like Shemar and he really embodies those things: relentless, violence, changing the line of scrimmage," Koziol said. "I think it really checks the boxes. It's a good fit for scheme and culture and what we're looking for."
In four years with the Aggies, Turner started 35 of 43 career games, including every game the last three seasons. A versatile defensive lineman who played both inside and outside, he totaled 115 tackles, including 22.5 tackles for loss and 10.0 sacks, along with three forced fumbles and one pass defensed.
Turner spent the majority of his senior season playing tackle with the goal of getting "draft as high as [he] could possibly go." As a result of that transition, he learned how to make pass-rush moves quicker and attack double teams differently.
Koziol noted that the Bears appreciate Turner's ability to play multiple spots along the defensive line and won't put limits on what he can do.
"He's shown a lot of versatility, and the more you can do, the better," Koziol said. "He's got the size, strength and play temperament and anchor to play on the inside. Like I said, once he walks in the door, the coaches will have a plan for how they want to use him wherever that may be, whether it's inside or outside. I think that he's shown he can do both, which is great."
No matter where Turner lines up for the Bears, he'll have veterans to learn from. With tackles such as 11-year pro Grady Jarrett, 9-year pro Andrew Billings and third-year pro Gervon Dexter Sr., along with edge rushers such Pro Bowler Montez Sweat and free agent signing Dayo Odeyingbo, Turner will join a defensive line unit featuring a plethora of mentors.
Turner intends to be a sponge once he walks into Halas Hall, and combined with his own energy and skillset, he sees a unit that can thrive.
"Coming in, [it's about] not being too good to learn from those guys because you can learn something from all of those guys," Turner said. "They've got great vets, and he ain't a rookie, but shoot, he's becoming a vet with Dex … What I can bring is that fire.
"When I'm on the field, everybody is going to feel it and I feel like I can make the defensive line better. Just bouncing around, making plays, watching other guys make plays, celebrating with the guys, turn up. It's going to be good in Chicago."
With the 62nd pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, the Bears select Texas A&M defensive lineman Shemar Turner. Take a look at photos of Turner in action. (Photos via CollegePressBox and AP)
