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It's a good thing Khalil Mack is a humble guy, because otherwise this offseason might certainly go to his head. He has already made several lists of the NFL's best this offseason, and now he makes a somewhat improbable one - MMQB's most influential people for the 2015 NFL season.
Here is what MMQB's Andy Benoit had to say about Mack, who lands at 85 on the list.
85. Khalil Mack, Linebacker, Oakland Raiders
No player had a greater discrepancy between his performance and his statistics last season than Khalil Mack. That's a good thing. His four sacks represented a small fraction of the damage he actually inflicted as a pass rusher. The litheness and bendability he showed at tiny University of Buffalo translated seamlessly to the NFL, where Mack consistently ate offensive tackles alive with his lateral burst and redirect ability. His sack total—the only mainstream stat for an edge defender—was the only statistic that misrepresented Mack. Unofficially he had 40 "hurries," and he drew eight holding penalties, second-most in the league. He also shined against the run. The Raiders have fielded a consistently weak defense during their 12-year playoff drought, but in Mack they have a game-changing talent. Don't be surprised if the second-year pro is a first-team All-Pro in 2015.
To see the rest of the list, click here.
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That's high praise for a players who has already been heaped with praise of late. Other lists which Mack has made an appearance include:
Number 49 on NFL Network top 100 players
Number one overall in ESPN 2014 draft re-ranking
Number 39 on Pro Football Focus top 101 of 2014
About the only positive list this offseason he wasn't on was the one you would think he would be a shoo in -- Fox Sports' Top 25 players under 25.
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