Mack was mostly a special teams player for the Nittany Lions last season, participating in all 13 games.Pro Football Focus reports that during the course of seven games, he played 70 total defensive snaps. In all, he registered three tackles and one pressure. He will be eligible for another three years.
The 5-foot-10, 190-pound native of Miami first committed to Penn State as a member of their recruiting class for 2023. According to 247Sports, he was rated as a 4-star prospect, the 86th best overall prospect, and the sixth best safety recruit. Among other teams, he picked the Nittany Lions above Michigan State and Arkansas.
In his 2022 assessment of Mack, director of scouting for 247Sports Andrew Ivins noted the following:
The five-tool center fielder in football terms. Although he is not the optimum height/weight combination, his speed, instincts, ball skills, physicality, and leadership characteristics more than make up for his diminutive stature.
worked primarily out of a two-deep safety look as a junior and was successful for a legendary St. Thomas Aquinas club that won a state championship in Florida’s second-highest classification by intercepting four passes.
It’s uncommon to be able to quickly move from hash to hash or reach the deeper portion of the field. His track times in the 100, 200, and 400-meter dashes are 10.64, 21.43, and 46.25, respectively.He can definitely fly, but he’s also more than happy to patrol the defensive half of the field since he’s not scared to put his nose in the box and help out on first or second down.
possesses invaluable expertise, acting as a blitzer in passing scenarios. Though his fluid footwork and early burst suggest that he will be able to hang with some of the speedier wide receivers that line up in the slot these days, he hasn’t been challenged to play much man-on-man coverage at the prep level.
Though he still needs to improve as a football player and learn how to take on Power Five veterans on his own, he possesses the skills necessary to become a Saturday starter for many years to come.
Not everyone will be satisfied with subpar measurables, but in a football era where so many offenses like to just air it out, range is immensely crucial.
Ceiling may ultimately be highest as a single-high safety in a forceful defensive system intended to fool quarterbacks into making poor choices, but he may also be used as a slot defender or in other combinations.”
This coming weekend, Mack will be among a few transfer visits, including 2025 recruits OT Micah DeBose, EDGE Damien Shanklin, and LB Ty Jackson, as well as South Alabama LB Khalil Jacobs.
When queried about areas of need during the spring transfer portal session, which closed this week, head coach Kalen DeBoer of Alabama indicated interest in adding more secondary experience. Alabama did not initially offer Mack an offer straight out of high school.
Last month, DeBoer stated on The Next Round, “It’s just about bringing in some people that can assist our program, help our squad be better, offer us some depth and work with special teams.” “It would be wonderful to have some men who can advance through the program and grow.”
This cycle, the Crimson Tide have already added three players via the transfer portal: K Graham Nicholson, DB Kam Howard, and OT Kadyn Proctor. In addition, the Tide lost four players to the portal: Tony Mitchell, OL James Brockermeyer, DB Peyton Woodyard, and DL Khurtiss Perry.
