Former UB linebacker Khalil Mack was named the NFL’s AP Defensive Player of the Year on Saturday, making him the first former UB player to win the honor.
The award is voted on by fifty AP sportswriters who cover the NFL regularly and is considered the highest honor a defensive player can win in the NFL. Mack had 11 sacks and five forced fumbles this year as he helped lead the Oakland Raiders to their first playoff appearance since 2002.
Mack was named the Mid-American Conference Defensive Player of the Year at UB. He was also the NCAA’s all-time leader in forced fumbles at the time of his graduation. Mack was selected fifth overall in the 2014 NFL Draft, the highest any UB player has ever been chosen.
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