Raiders pass rusher Khalil Mack was perhaps the most dominant player in the league last week, wreaking havoc on the Cardinals' depleted offensive line to the tune of two sacks, a forced fumble and a handful of quarterback hurries.
Mack has been so impressive that weakside linebacker Malcolm Smith, the Super Bowl XLVIII MVP, believes his new teammate has the potential to be a more disruptive force than any player on Seattle's celebrated "Legion of Boom" defense.
"I have played with some pretty good players ... and he is by far the most dominant that I have seen," Smith said Wednesday, via Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle. "He has everything you want athletically, smart."
Smith made similar comments in June, hyping Mack as "one of a kind in this league" and "definitely his own beast," adding that there wasn't anybody like him in Seattle.
It's high praise coming from a respected veteran who spent four years with game wreckers such as Earl Thomas, Richard Sherman, Kam Chancellor, Bobby Wagner and Michael Bennett.
Smith is far from alone, however, in his worship of Mack.
Two-time Super Bowl champion Justin Tuck believes Mack is capable of an impact on par withHall of Fame edge rushers Lawrence Taylor and Derrick Thomas.
Upon drafting Mack, general manager Reggie McKenzie said the former SUNY Buffalo star reminded him ofPackersPro Bowl pass rusher Clay Matthews.
Head coach Jack Del Rio, who ran Denver's defense the past few years, claims Mack is "way more physical" than Broncos All-Pro linebacker Von Miller.
For all of that flattery, Mack managed just four sacks as a rookie.
If he's going to justify the hype, he needs to translate his 40 quarterback hurries -- the second-most among 4-3 linebackers last year, per Pro Football Focus -- into double-digit QB takedowns.
We fully expect Mack to make that leap in his second season.
