Raiders defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. is at the Senior Bowl this week, scouting draft prospects who could upgrade his unit.
His current defensive centerpiece, however, remained a hot topic. That’ll be common for some time, as edge rusher Khalil Mack becomes more of a household name. He gained the NFL’s respect as a rookie and wowed fans in his second season with 15 sacks that helped earn first-team All-Pro honors at defensive end and outside linebacker.
Mack’s rise didn’t surprise Norton, who saw talent and work ethic and a quick fix that greatly helped his production.
“I knew Khalil needed to rush more,” Norton said Tuesday in an interview with SiriusXM NFL Radio. “He was dropping into coverage too much. We wanted to get him to rush more, and he went from four sacks to 15. It’s really impressive that he was able to make such improvement.”
Mack had an excellent year, with 77 tackles (including 23 tackles for a loss), 15 sacks and 66 other quarterback pressures, two forced fumbles and two passes defensed.
Mack’s in the conversation for the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year and his All-Pro status proves that he has arrived. Mack has the work ethic to continue this production, but Norton wondered how he’ll handle all the attention that comes with it.
“He’s a guy who looks the part and acts the part and shows up to work trying to improve his game,” Norton said. “That’s who he is. He’s an amazing player. The next phase is: can he handle success? Can he handle everyone looking at him, saying he’s going to be the next hall of famer? Can he keep his level of play high? That’s what I have to deal with now. Can he handle the girls, and the success and the money?”
Mack should be fine. He's a high-character player with great drive and a support structure including veteran Justin Tuck to keep him grounded.
