Khalil Mack is the best defensive end in the NFL. Unless he’s the best linebacker in the NFL, or the best edge rusher, or the best hybrid defender, or …

Wherever he lines up, he dominates.

That’s why Mack, the Raiders’ defensive end (his officially assigned position), is the Sporting News 2016 NFL Defensive Player of the Year. At 25, and after his third season, it’s the first time he has won the award.

Mack is getting used to raising the bar, though — in 2015, his second season, he was named first-team All-Pro at both end and linebacker, the first time anyone had ever won at two positions in the same season. He had 15 sacks that year, second to J.J. Watt, who Mack replaced this season as SN’s defense honoree.

This year, the Raiders went 12-4 for their best record and first playoff appearance since 2002. Mack was subjected to every blocking scheme opposing coaches could imagine, every method of neutralizing him possible. He still finished with 11 sacks, plus five forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries (often on strip-sacks), and the first interception and first touchdown of his career.

The pick-six, in a November Raiders win, off of a Cam Newton screen pass Mack dropped back to cover perfectly, likely gave defensive coordinators around the NFL fresh nightmares.

His outrageous combination of speed and strength made up for a world of team-wide defensive shortcomings, and it further established him as one of the focal points of an emerging NFL power. Had quarterback Derek Carr not broken his leg in the next-to-last regular season game, Mack might still have been wreaking havoc this past championship weekend.

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Mack won the vote from his fellow NFL players over the Broncos’ Von Miller, the Chiefs’ Eric Berry, the Giants’ Landon Collins and the Falcons’ Vic Beasley.

It takes a lot to beat out a field that strong. Being unstoppable from anywhere along the line of scrimmage helps, and Mack was rewarded for exactly that.

Defensive Player of the Year: NFL player voting results

1. Khalil Mack

2. Von Miller

3. Eric Berry

4. Landon Collins

5. Vic Beasley

6. Marcus Peters

7. Aaron Donald

8. Lorenzo Alexander

9. Thomas Davis

T - 10. Luke Kuechly, Kwon Alexander

12. Janoris Jenkins

T - 13. Eric Weddle, Zach Brown, Sean Lee, Justin Houston, Casey Hayward, DeMarcus Ware, Bobby Wagner, Rashard Robinson, Dee Ford

T- 22. Adam Jones, Richard Sherman, Zach Orr, Xavier Rhodes, Malcolm Butler, Cameron Wake, Jadeveon Clowney, Geno Atkins, Christian Kirksey, Kerry Hyder, Timmy Jernigan, Joey Bosa, Clay Matthews, Jordan Hicks, Kam Chancellor, Telvin Smith, Ryan Kerrigan, J.J. Watt, Cliff Avril