Oakland Raiders: Khalil Mack praise not hyperbolic

Even though he didn’t win the Defensive Rookie of the Year award, Oakland Raiders outside linebacker Khalil Mack was one of the best defensive players in the game last season as a rookie. Mack is a classic example of how sacks don’t tell the whole story, because his four sacks don’t account for his consistent pressure, 12 QB hits, and 16 tackles for loss, meaning that 12 of his tackles for loss came in run defense.

Teammate and veteran defensive end Justin Tuck recently came under some heat for stating that Mack has the potential to be a legendary player like Lawrence Taylor or Derrick Thomas. Anyone who makes this kind of a statement is going to receive some heat, but Tuck’s praise of Mack was appropriate and not hyperbolic if you read what he actually said instead of reading the names of the legends he listed and stating, “Shut up, idiot,” without thinking things through.

Phrases turned into bold print are done by me for the purpose of emphasizing key parts of the quote.

Tuck said, via ESPN NFL Nation’s Michael Wagaman, “I’ve watched a lot of film on guys like Derrick Thomas, Lawrence Taylor … I’m not saying that he will be that player, I’m saying he’s capable of being that player. Believe me, I know what praise I just gave him. I know what category I just potentially put him into. The thing I love about him that people don’t get to see every day is not the fact that he’s an absolute physical specimen. It’s not that. It’s that he’s smart, he understands the game, but he also understands that he doesn’t know it all.”

During his time in college, Mack earned a reputation for being one of the hardest workers on the field, and he had such an incredible motor that you would see him chasing running backs downfield no matter the score or situation. Even when he’s pushed down, he gets back up to get after the passer, but his work ethic is far from Mack’s most admirable trait.

As Tuck said, Mack has the potential to be a legend because he combined elite physical tools (remember, the Houston Texans were reportedly considering him at No. 1, and some draft analysts had him as their top prospect overall) with elite understanding. I mean, how else could he transition from a small school to the NFL and a new position so seamlessly? Like at Buffalo, Mack didn’t have much help around him on the Oakland defense, and you can only imagine how many sacks he would have had with a better supporting cast.

If you are willing to look past the sacks- as most people actually are- you’ll see that Khalil Mack was one of the best linebackers in the NFL last season. He had 75 tackles with 59 being solo stops, per Pro Football Focus only Von Miller had more total pressures on the QB at the 4-3 OLB position, and Mack’s 42 run stops were third at the position.

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Again, even though he played on a defense that allowed the most points per game, Mack established himself as a true star in this league in his first season. The impact he had on the Raiders defense is nothing short of remarkable, and I would strongly recommend checking out this piece that showcases Mack’s best plays this season. New England Patriots left tackle Nate Solder is one of the best in the business, and yet Mack made the uber-athletic tackle look like a fool, beating him with speed, strength, and a nasty spin move.

Mack’s ability to star in different roles and at different positions is uncanny, and his well-roundedness is something to behold. Again, it’s extremely rare for a small-school pass rusher to be one of the NFL’s best run defenders as a 4-3 OLB in their rookie year, but that’s a testament to Mack’s elite football IQ, all-around ability, and work ethic. Someone who has been in the league for a long time like Tuck isn’t going to spit out random crap just to heap praise on a young player, and he knows that Mack has that unique blend of desire, intellect, and physical tools to be a legend.

December 21, 2014; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders outside linebacker Khalil Mack (52) during the first quarter against the Buffalo Bills at O.co Coliseum. The Raiders defeated the Bills 26-24. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

As Tuck said, nobody is already tabbing him as a legend, because that would be foolish and premature. But to ignore the moves he’s put on linemen this year, the variety of different ways he can put pressure on the quarterback, and his ridiculous run defense would be equally foolish. If he played for a better defense with more than just Tuck and Sio Moore to help him, then his efforts as a pass rusher wouldn’t go underestimated.

Moreover, it’s clear to anyone who follows Mack’s game closely that he’s more than just a pass rusher, and the Oakland Raiders have received beyond dominant run defense from a guy who has power, balance, explosiveness, solid tackling ability in space, and knows when to disengage and how to use his hands. Once he learns even more after a full season in the league and gets more help around him, Mack will really shine on the stat sheet, and the Hall of Fame is indeed the ceiling for a player who should have been a raw rookie coming out of Buffalo.

Mack is one of the smartest players, hardest workers, and is a physical specimen, and I don’t think it’s hyperbolic for Tuck to say that he has the potential to turn into that kind of a player. Per Sporting Charts, only J.J. Watt had more “stuffs” this past season, and that speaks volumes to how disruptive and dominant Mack is in run defense. Before you jump all over Tuck, recognize just how great Mack’s play was in context, and recognize the fact that his upside stems from more than just his background, tools, status as a rookie, work ethic, or intelligence; it’s a blend of all of that and more.

“Will be” and “can be” are two totally different things, and Tuck did a great job of appropriately making that distinction while pointing out exactly what makes Khalil Mack a potential HOF player; he understands how much he must accomplish.

Next: Where do the Raiders rank among the best franchises in history?

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