James Turner (American football)
{{Short description|American football placekicker (born 2000)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = James Turner
| image = James Turner (53160182621).jpg
| caption = Turner with Michigan in 2023
| current_team =
| number =
| position = Kicker
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2000|11|22}}
| birth_place = Saline, Michigan, U.S.
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 0
| weight_lb = 196
| high_school = Saline
(Saline, Michigan)
| college = Louisville (2019–2022)
Michigan (2023)
| undraftedyear = 2024
| pastteams =
- Detroit Lions ({{NFL Year|2024}})*
- Green Bay Packers ({{NFL Year|2024}})*
| status =
| highlights =
- CFP national champion (2023)
- Second-team All-Big Ten (2023)
- Third-team All-ACC (2022)
| pfr =
}}
James Turner (born November 22, 2000) is an American football placekicker who is a free agent. He played college football for the Michigan Wolverines and the Louisville Cardinals. He was an all-conference selection in both the ACC and Big Ten, winning a national championship with Michigan in 2023.
High school career
Turner grew up in Saline, Michigan and attended Saline High School. As a senior, he went 12 for 12 on field goal attempts and 45 for 46 on extra point attempts. He also handled kickoffs, having 36 touchbacks on the year. Turner was named a first team all-state selection by The Detroit News.{{cite web |title=James Turner |url=https://gocards.com/sports/football/roster/james-turner/12763 |website=Louisville Athletics |access-date=May 3, 2023}} He committed to play college football for the Louisville Cardinals as a preferred walk on.{{cite web |title=Saline 2019 K/P James Turner has committed to Louisville |url=https://football.thedzone.com/news/saline-2019-k-p-james-turner-has-committed-to-louisville |website=The D Zone |access-date=May 3, 2023}}{{cite web |title=James Turner |url=https://www.on3.com/db/james-turner-147657/ |website=ON3 |access-date=May 3, 2023}}
College career
=Louisville Cardinals=
Turner played four years at Louisville. In his freshman year he played in the final five games as the Cardinals' kickoff specialist and recorded four touchbacks. Turner also played a role in Louisville's 2019 Music City Bowl, in which he recovered a fumble at the opposing 33 yard line.{{Cite web |last=Organ |first=Mike |date=December 30, 2019 |title=Louisville rallies to beat Mississippi State in the Music City Bowl |url=https://www.tennessean.com/story/sports/2019/12/30/music-city-bowl-2019-score-louisville-mississippi-state/2739272001/ |access-date=May 3, 2023 |website=The Tennessean}} In Turner's sophomore year, he played in 11 games, going 40 for 40 on extra point attempts and 13 for 15 on field goals. For his efforts he was named an All-Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) honorable mention.{{cite web |title=2020 Louisville Cardinals Stats |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/louisville/2020.html |website=Sports Reference |access-date=May 3, 2023}}{{cite web |title=Tigers, Irish Lead All-ACC Football Team |url=https://theacc.com/news/2020/12/21/athlete-awards-tigers-irish-lead-all-acc-football-team.aspx |website=Atlantic Coast Conference |access-date=May 3, 2023}} He was also named one of the 20 semifinalists for the 2020 Lou Groza Award.{{cite web |last1=Wickliffe |first1=Greg |title=Louisville kicker James Turner of Saline named semifinalist for Lou Groza Award |url=https://www.mlive.com/highschoolsports/2020/12/louisville-kicker-james-turner-of-saline-named-semifinalist-for-lou-groza-award.html |website=MLive.com |access-date=May 3, 2023}} In the 2021 season Turner started the year on the Lou Groza award watch list.{{cite web |title=James Turner Named to Lou Groza Award Watch List |url=https://www.si.com/college/louisville/football/james-turner-2021-lou-groza-watch-list |website=Sports Illustrated |access-date=May 3, 2023}}{{cite web |last1=Blankbaker |first1=Mark |title=JAMES TURNER NAMED TO LOU GROZA WATCH LIST |url=https://thecrunchzone.com/james-turner-named-to-lou-groza-watch-list/ |website=The Crunch Zone |access-date=May 3, 2023}} Turner played in 12 games during the season, going 43 for 44 on his extra point attempts and 13 for 20 on field goals.{{cite web |title=2021 Louisville Cardinals Stats |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/louisville/2021.html|website=Sports Reference |access-date=May 3, 2023}} After the 2021 season he was awarded a scholarship.{{cite web |last1=McCammon |first1=Michael |title=Louisville awards scholarship to kicker James Turner |url=https://247sports.com/college/louisville/Article/Louisville-awards-scholarship-to-kicker-James-Turner-159358479/ |website=247Sports |access-date=May 3, 2023}} Turner had his best season in 2022 in which he went 38 for 39 on extra points and 20 for 22 on field goal attempts. For his performance on the year he was named third-team All-ACC.{{cite web |title=2022 Louisville Cardinals Stats |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/louisville/2022.html |website=Sports Reference |access-date=May 3, 2023}}{{cite web |title=Clemson Leads With 12 Selection to All-ACC Football Teams |url=https://theacc.com/news/2022/11/29/athlete-awards-clemson-leads-with-12-selection-to-all-acc-football-teams.aspx |website=Atlantic Coast Conference |access-date=May 3, 2023}} In that same year on November 21, Turner was named the ACC Co-Specialist of the Week after tying a school record making four field goals in a 25–10 win over NC State{{cite web |title=Turner Named ACC Co-Specialist of the Week |url=https://gocards.com/news/2022/11/21/football-turner-named-acc-co-specialist-of-the-week |website=Louisville Cardinals |access-date=May 3, 2023}}{{cite web |title=Louisville's James Turner named ACC Specialist of the Week |url=https://247sports.com/college/louisville/Article/Louisvilles-James-Turner-named-ACC-Specialist-of-the-Week-198238942/ |website=247Sports |access-date=May 3, 2023}}
During his time at Louisville, Turner set multiple school records, finishing with the fourth most made field goals, the fifth most points, the fifth best field goal percentage, and the fifth most made extra points in Louisville history.{{cite web |title=Louisville Cardinals Kicking |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/louisville/kicking.html |website=Sports Reference |access-date=May 3, 2023}}
=Michigan Wolverines=
On April 28, 2023, Turner announced via his Twitter that he transferred to the University of Michigan.{{cite web |last1=Pappalardo |first1=Charlie |title=Michigan lands kicker James Turner in the transfer portal |url=https://www.michigandaily.com/sports/football/michigan-lands-kicker-james-turner-in-the-transfer-portal/ |website=The Michigan Daily |access-date=May 3, 2023}}{{cite web |last1=Garcia |first1=Tony |title=Michigan football adds K James Turner, Saline native, via transfer portal |url=https://www.freep.com/story/sports/college/university-michigan/wolverines/2023/04/28/michigan-football-lands-ex-louisville-k-james-turner-as-transfer/70164545007/ |website=Detroit Free Press |access-date=May 3, 2023}}{{cite web |last1=Hole |first1=Isaiah |title=Michigan football bolsters special teams with transfer portal commitment |url=https://wolverineswire.usatoday.com/2023/04/28/michigan-football-bolsters-special-teams-with-transfer-portal-commitment/ |website=Wolverines Wire |access-date=May 3, 2023}} In his only season with the Wolverines, Turner was voted second-team All-Big Ten on the way to winning a national championship in 2023. He hit 18 out of 21 field goals for the season, including three that were 50 yards. Turner also set a Michigan single-season record with 65 converted point-after attempts (PATs).{{Cite web|url=https://mgoblue.com/sports/football/roster/james-turner/24631|title=James Turner|website=University of Michigan}}
Professional career
{{NFL predraft
| height ft = 5
| height in = 11 7/8
| weight = 190
| arm span = 30 1/2
| hand span = 8 3/8
| note = All values from Pro Day{{Cite web |url=https://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=1046066&DraftYear=2024 |title=2024 NFL Draft Scout James Turner College Football Profile |website=DraftScout.com |access-date=March 28, 2024}}
}}
=Detroit Lions=
On April 28, Turner signed with the Detroit Lions as an undrafted free agent following the 2024 NFL draft.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theoaklandpress.com/2024/04/28/lions-sign-michigan-kicker-james-turner-as-udfa/amp/|title=Lions sign Michigan kicker James Turner as UDFA|publisher=The Oakland Press}}{{cite web|title=TWENTYMAN: A closer look at the Lions' undrafted rookie free agents|url=https://www.detroitlions.com/news/a-closer-look-at-the-lions-undrafted-rookie-free-agents-calhoun-chambers-clemens|author=Twentyman, Tim|website=DetroitLions|date=May 10, 2024}} He was waived on June 18, 2024.{{Cite web |date=June 18, 2024 |title=Lions Waive Kicker James Turner |url=https://www.si.com/nfl/lions/news/lions-waive-kicker-james-turner |access-date=June 18, 2024 |website=All Lions |language=en-US}}
=Green Bay Packers=
On June 24, 2024, Turner was claimed off waivers by the Green Bay Packers.{{Cite web |title=Packers claim K James Turner off waivers from Detroit Lions |url=https://www.packers.com/news/packers-claim-k-james-turner-off-waivers-from-detroit-lions-2024 |access-date=June 24, 2024 |website=Packers.com |language=en-US}} On July 30, 2024, he was released.{{cite web|title=Packers announce roster moves|url=https://www.packers.com/news/packers-announce-roster-moves-july-30-2024|website=Packers.com|date=July 30, 2024}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{commons category}}
- [https://gocards.com/sports/football/roster/james-turner/12763 Louisville Cardinals bio]
- [https://mgoblue.com/sports/football/roster/james-turner/24631 Michigan Wolverines bio]
{{2023 Michigan Wolverines football navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Turner, James}}
Category:American football placekickers
Category:Louisville Cardinals football players
Category:Michigan Wolverines football players
Category:People from Saline, Michigan
Category:Players of American football from Washtenaw County, Michigan