(UPDATE: Saturday night saw Oakland Raiders Linebacker Khalil Mack win NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Back in August of 2015, The Sports Bank sat down with NFL Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez, and talked quite a bit about the Raiders, including a whole lot of conversation about the Raiders. We decided to re-publish that exclusive with Gonzalez, as he pretty much called the rise of Mack. See the quotes below)
The 2016 Defensive Player of the Year: Khalil Mack. ? #NFLHonors pic.twitter.com/dvM27rUFMq
— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) February 5, 2017
Khalil Mack has potential to be a transcendent NFL player. He also has the potential to help finally get the Oakland Raiders going in the right direction again.
They have a good core of young players, that quarterback is really good and Amari Cooper is going to be a stud,” said Tony Gonzalez, future NFL Hall of Famer and Studio Analyst on The NFL Today. Gonzalez, pretty much the greatest tight end to ever player the game, was very very high on Raiders Linebacker Khalil Mack.
At NFL Media Day, Gonzalez praised him extensively:
“Khalil Mack on defense is going to be one of the best linebackers in the business, by next year, he might even be the best linebacker in the league by the end of next year, by the end of his year three.”
The Raiders selected Mack fifth overall in the 2014 NFL Draft out of the University of Buffalo. He flew under the radar in college because he played for a a mid-major, but he’s in the spotlight now. Khalil Mack established himself as the crown jewel of the defense, and along with quarterback Derek Carr, a cornerstone of the franchise. He’s listed as a strong-side linebacker, but he plays with a hand in the ground as an edge rusher in nickel packages.
This year, he will further develop under the tutelage of two former big name linebackers. Both the Raiders new Head Coach (Jack Del Rio) and Defensive Coordinator (Ken Norton Jr.) were Linebackers as players.
“I think he’ll be one of the top linebackers in the league this year, he is just a freak,” said Gonzalez, a 14 time Pro-Bowler and the first Tight End to ever reach 1,000 receptions.
“When I watch him play, I tell the guys on the desk, this guy’s a stud, he sets the edge, he can get after the passer.”
Mack’s four sacks last year don’t really tell the whole story of what a great rookie season he had. #52 applied consistent pressure, forcing quarterback hurries, and giving Oakland a great run stuffer to build around.
Still, the Raiders have light years to go. Coming off a 3-13 season, sports books are giving them around the fourth or fifth best odds to win the Super Bowl. Usually it’s around 80 to 100-1.
With Khalil Mack, however, Raider Nation really has something to get excited about.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network. and News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, Bold and the Chicago Tribune’s RedEye publication, appears regularly as a guest on CGTN America, WGN CLTV News and KOZN.
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