The Oakland Raiders may have been eliminated from playoff contention, but they have a franchise cornerstone on both sides of the ball in their “sophomore class.” Khalil Mack is poised to become one of the best overall defenders in the NFL, and that could happen sooner rather than later.
Quarterback Derek Carr entered the match-up with Green Bay boasting Aaron Rodgers like numbers.
Amari Cooper has hit a 1,000 yards receiving already his rookie year, so there’s another key piece for rebuilding this once proud franchise. The Raiders returned to respectability this season. Next season it’s about contending for the division.
Return of the Mack could be the key to getting them there.
Pro Football Hall of Famer and Oakland Raiders legend Howie Long had high praise for emerging Raiders linebacker Khalil Mack:
“He is an ‘elevator player’ because when you evaluate a player coming out of college, you wonder where the ceiling is for each guy. Khalil Mack is a six-story building and his elevator is only on floor two. As hard as that is to believe with him coming off of a five-sack game, I think there are four more floors for this guy to go. He is dominant at the point of attack in the run game; he dominates offensive tackles and dominates tight ends in setting the edge. He plays 110 percent every single down – run, pass, short-yardage, goal line, you name it and, he is still learning how to rush the quarterback, that’s scary.”
That is a fantastic analogy there by Howie Long.
Long isn’t the only NFL pundit who feels that way. Check out our exclusive with Tony Gonzalez from the preseason. His statements were rather prescient.
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.”
“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.”
Read more about what Gonzalez had to say about Khalil Mack here.
Paul M. Banks owns, operates and sometimes writes The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network. The website is also featured on News Now.
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