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Khalil Mack is the #3 player of 2013 based on three monster years at Buffalo.
We call him "The Conference", "Fast and Furious 46" and "TaFoLo" you'll probably call him, "wow", "oh no" or "not him again" because when his name is called, it is bad things for the opposing team.
We know Mack had one of the greatest defensive years in the MAC with: 94 tackles, 20 tackles for loss, 8 sacks, 2 passes broken up, 4 QB hurries, 4 forced fumbles and 1 blocked kick in 2013.
We know Mack is the #1 NFL prospect in the MAC
We know Mack is 19 tackles for loss away from breaking a NCAA record.
We know Mack is a future game changer.
We know Mack is the best player you haven't seen.
But what most don't know is, he will be even better in 2013.
Mack has something in 2013 that he hasn't had since 2010, a reliable secondary. UB returns two shutdown corners in Cortney Lester and Najja Johnson. Between Adam Redden, Okoye Houston, Derek Brim and Witney Sherry, UB has four safeties with game experience returning.
With a solid secondary, UB is free to send more guys at the Quarterback, forcing teams into a dilemma, key on Mack and make someone else stop them, (Colby Way perhaps) or play man to man and hope one blocker can contain Mack.
In addition, for the first time in Mack's career, the Bulls look to be a good complete team. While losing 8-10 games a year, Mack's impact has been reduced by teams running the clock down on their way to victory. With a better team around him, Mack will see more obvious passing situations, which allows him to do what he does best, pin his ears back and destroy the Quarterback.
At MAC media day, as in general with the MAC, Buffalo received little love and Mack took notice saying "we'll get the attention when we deserve it." Mack certainly deserves a lot of attention, but he doesn't see himself as the star, he sees himself as just a part of a defensive unit that came to Buffalo to win the school's 2nd MAC Championship and finally has matured to the point where they can seriously do it. "We're growing up. It's crazy, watching these guys get better and get more mature. We're going to be wild. We're going to be a fun defense."
While MACtion is primarily an offensive phenomenon, Buffalo hopes 2013 will be all about defense, maybe we'll call it MACKtion.