At one point in lead-up to the 2014 draft, Khalil Mack was considered so promising that whispers circulated regarding his availability by the time the Oakland Raiders were on the clock with the 5th overall pick. Thankfully, fortune favored the silver-and-black and the front-office got their man.
Mack is currently the highest rated 4-3 outside linebacker, out-grading All-Pro level talent such as Von Miller and Lavonte David. Mack's real strength comes against the run where he has earned a +45.7 grade. This is over twice as much as the next positional player in that same category (DeAndre Levy, +18.4).
In order for the Raiders to capitalise on Mack, they'll need to develop the other areas of his game. Currently, Mack is rarely asked to provide coverage and instead, he is blitzing 84.9% of the time, the highest rate of anyone at his position. While he’s not producing a ton of box score stats as a pass rusher (only three sacks) he’s definitely having a positive impact. His +4.3 pass rush grade ranks seventh among his peers.
All told, Mack’s success bodes well for the future of the Raiders defense and warrants strong consideration for Defensive Rookie of the Year honors.
© 2024 PFF - all rights reserved.