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ALAMEDA, Calif. -- In what may portend of another award to come, Oakland Raiders defensive end/outside linebacker Khalil Mack was named NFL defensive player of the year on Wednesday by the Professional Football Writers of America. Mack, already named All-Pro at edge-rusher by the Associated Press, is also a leading candidate for the league’s Defensive Player of the Year award. Pro Football Focus had Mack leading the NFL with 96 QB pressures and was PFF’s highest-graded edge-rusher with an overall grade of 93.9. He also had four passes defensed, five forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries. Mack finished with 11 sacks and had an eight-game sack streak, which included three straight games with strip-sacks. He also had an interception return for a touchdown against the Carolina Panthers’ Cam Newton from 6 yards out and on that day became the first NFL player since 2009 to have an interception, sack, forced fumble, fumble recovery and a TD in the same game. Raiders Hall of Famer Howie Long recently told me what separates Mack from other players. "He’s unique in the sense that there may be a guy or two in the league that can get to the quarterback better than him,” Long said. “And there may be a guy who’s better at the point of attack. But nobody’s better at both. He’s great in a phone booth and he’s great in space. He’s a six-story building and his elevator’s on Floor 3. He can still evolve and grow. “He has an opportunity to be a generational player. How many people can say that? I’m excited for him and I’m excited when they get more bodies around him.”
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