After Jadeveon Clowney, there has been debate on who the best defensive prospect for the 2014 NFL draft. In my opinion, it is Buffalo’s superstar linebacker Khalil Mack.
Mack is listed at 6’3 and 248 pounds from a small town named Fort Pierce just outside Port St. Lucie in Florida. As a senior, Mack broke two all-time NCAA records for a defender, one being 75 career tackles for loss, and another being 16 forced fumbles. Not bad for a player who only received one scholarship offer coming out of high school.
As for how he translates to the NFL, I doubt he will receive the same amount of attention that he did coming out of high school. Mack is a sure-fire first round pick, and coming from a small program like Buffalo’s, that is not an easy thing to say.
When watching tape on a prospect, we all want to find the weaknesses. Even some of the best players have weaknesses that can be seen on tape. For me in this draft class, there are only two players who seem to have little to no weaknesses. One is Texas A&M tackle Jake Matthews, the other is Khalil Mack.
One thing some people have discounted is the fact that he seems to light up the box scores every single game. Remember, box score scouting is not the way to go, and is the worst thing someone can do, but when you watch Mack’s tape and realize he is being double teamed, and sometimes triple teamed for most of his snaps, those accumulated statistics mean a lot more. 75 tackles for loss is no joke, as he is the NCAA’s all time leader in that category.
“He hasn’t seen NFL talent on the other side of the field”
This season, Buffalo took on Ohio State, and Khalil Mack made his presence felt immediately. In the first quarter, Mack bull rushed Ohio State’s left tackle Jack Mewhort, who will be an NFL offensive lineman, and was able to contain Braxton Miller while being held by Mewhort. The play drew a flag, and set the Buckeyes back inside their own five yard-line. In another play on that drive, Mack forced Miller out of the pocket, and despite Miller picking up five yards, Mack chased him down from behind and forced him to run out of bounds.
If you have seen Miller run, that is no easy feat, especially for a 248 pound linebacker. While rushing the passer, Khalil Mack uses his hands extremely well, and times his moves perfectly to get around a tackle.
As a pass rusher, if you can win at first contact with your hands (often swatting the offensive lineman’s hands down so they cannot engage), that given snap is considered a win.
Mack’s ability to do this is extraordinary, and since he times it well enough to get around the edge, he is in the backfield in less than a second.
In addition to being a superb pass rusher, Mack also can cover tight ends and linebackers with relative ease. One thing that sticks out, and many players cannot do this, is Mack’s ability to keep his eyes on the quarterback while covering his man. That is a huge trait to have, and it allows him to get a quicker break should the quarterback decide to run, which we are seeing more and more in the NFL.
Khalil Mack can play five positions at an elite level, and I am certain he could start at all five. Both defensive end spots in a 4-3, either rusher in a 3-4, and a 4-3 outside linebacker. I believe he would be used best in a Von Miller role in a 4-3, so all of his talents could be used, and he can do everything without sacrificing anyone else’s role. Mack is without a question a first rounder, and I would select him in the top eight without regret