The Oakland Raiders struck gold when they selected Khalil Mack fifth overall in the 2014 NFL Draft, and he is just getting started.

When it comes to young players, the term “special” is often thrown around a lot. No matter the sport, there is always the next big thing each year, and those players usually fizzle out. For Khalil Mack, his star has shown brighter in each of his four NFL seasons, and at only 27-years old, he may just be tapping his potential.

In high school, Mack shifted his focus to the football field after a torn patella tendon seems to kill his chances of receiving a basketball scholarship. Despite being a third-team All-State performer for Fort Pierce Westwood (FL) High School, Mack was not a heavily recruited player. He did receive a scholarship from the State University of New York at Buffalo, where he would hone his skills, and turn himself into a first round draft pick.

Luckily for Raiders fans, it would be the Silver and Black who saw enough in him to select him with the fifth overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft. It did not take him long to get acclimated to the pro game, as some believe he should have been the NFL’s Rookie of the Year. While Aaron Donald won the award, it did not stop the entire football world to take notice of Mack, who was one of the few bright spots on a Raiders team that finished 3-13.

After his stellar rookie season, Mack continued to develop as a player, earning Pro Bowl honors in every season since. He has teamed with star quarterback Derek Carr to form an incredible nucleus for the future of the organization, and in 2016, he was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year. What he means to this organization cannot be understated, and if he continues on this kind of trajectory, he could end up being one of the best defensive players this league has ever seen.

On Thursday, Mack turned 27 years old, which means his best football is likely still ahead of him. He already ranks fifth on the Raiders all-time sack list with 40.5, 36.5 of which have come in the last three seasons. In addition, he is already a two-time First-Team All-Pro, and in the NFL Top-100 Players for 2017, which is voted on by the players, he was ranked fifth overall.

The storied history of the Oakland Raiders has produced some of the best defensive players in the history of the league. While only entering his fifth NFL season, it is already safe to say that Mack has already established himself as one of the best to do it wearing the Silver and Black. Using the term special on a guy like Mack is not only justified, but at this point, it may not be enough to describe the kind of player the Raiders have on their hands.

The 2014 NFL Draft was kind to the Raiders, as they not only got Mack, but also players like Carr, Justin Ellis, and Gabe Jackson. Carr has become one of the best young quarterbacks in the league, and Ellis and Jackson have been invaluable up front on both sides of the ball. But it is Mack who has been the crown jewel of this draft class, and while he is in for a big payday after the 2018 NFL season, he will be worth every penny the Raiders throw his way.