Las Vegas Raiders: 15 most beloved fan favorites in franchise history
Khalil Mack. 15. player. 28. . OLB/DE. (2014-17)
Most beloved Raiders of all time: 15. Khalil Mack
This one might still sting for the Raiders faithful and rightfully so. In the 2014 NFL Draft, the raiders selected a blue-chip defensive end from the University of Buffalo with the No. 5 overall pick.
In only a handful of years, that pick turned into an NFL Defensive Player of the Year and anchor of the defense. Well, until he was shipped to Chicago for two first-round draft picks, one of which is now running back Josh Jacobs, who the team selected with the No. 24 overall selection in the 2019 NFL Draft.
Who knows who won or lost that trade? Only time will tell. The trade, however, does not change how quickly Khalil Mack won over the fans in Oakland. Mack’s combination of raw talent and work ethic combined to create one of the most dominant defensive players in the NFL. Fans quickly fell in love with his ability to wreck games.
To emphasize how good Mack was with the Raiders, here is some context. In 64 games with the team, Mack tallied 40.5 sacks, 303 tackles, 68 tackles for loss and 84 quarterback hits. Dominant, right?
Mack lacks the longevity with the franchise that some other players on this ranking accrued, but by no means was he any less loved during his tenure. Despite being traded some, or even most, Raiders fans still root for Mack and wish him well in Chicago. It is a testament to how well-liked he was while sporting the Silver and Black.