According to several NFL executives, coaches and players, Khalil Mack of the Chicago Bears is the best edge rusher in the league.
In a poll conducted by Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, a group of NFL executives, coaches and players were asked to name the best players in each position. Nearly every voter placed Mack in the top three in the linebacker spot, beating Chandler Jones of the Arizona Cardinals. Several NFL coaches expounded on their choice:
“He can get home in every way — he can go through you or around you,” said one NFL defensive coordinator about the Bears' outside linebacker.
Added a defensive assistant coach: “Your game plan doesn’t matter with him.”
Mack had 8.5 sacks and a 19.6 percent pass-rush win rate in 2019, which showcases his significant impact on the defensive end for the Bears. Quarterbacks and linemen have to be on their toes whenever Mack is on the field.
In effect, Mack's teammates are often presented with one-on-one opportunities. This makes Mack one of the key assets of the Bears.
“He doesn’t get past the quarterback very often because he bends so well, has speed-to-power and finishes at the level of the quarterback,” a veteran defensive coach said, per ESPN. “And he’s relentless.”
Though statistics show that his 8.5 sacks and 14 quarterback hits were his lowest since his rookie season, the poll reveals that Mack's impact goes beyond the numbers. Execs, coaches, and players know that whenever they're going to face the Bears, they have to place Khalil Mack at the top of the priority list.
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