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Texas A&M football: Daylon Mack already improving his 2019 NFL Draft stock

By Jeff Shull

COLLEGE STATION, TX - AUGUST 30: Daylon Mack #34 of the Texas A&M Aggies rushes Shelton Eppler #5 of the Northwestern State Demons during the first half of a football game at Kyle Field on August 30, 2018 in College Station, Texas. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)
COLLEGE STATION, TX - AUGUST 30: Daylon Mack #34 of the Texas A&M Aggies rushes Shelton Eppler #5 of the Northwestern State Demons during the first half of a football game at Kyle Field on August 30, 2018 in College Station, Texas. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images) /
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The East-West Shrine Game is today, and Texas A&M football nose tackle Daylon Mack turned heads in practice and is getting the attention of scouts.

One of the best things about being a fan of football these days is the sport is truly year round. Even though, obviously, the season is the most fun, you can’t go more than a couple of weeks without something major happening in the offseason. This week it was the East-West shrine game, which is actually more about the practices than the actual game, and Texas A&M football defensive tackle Daylon Mack made an impression on NFL scouts.

The Mack Truck had a tough first three seasons at Texas A&M. He came to the Aggies as the No. 14 overall recruit in the 2015 class and didn’t live up to the hype while Kevin Sumlin was calling the shots. He was overweight, didn’t show consistent effort and would show flashes of brilliants that were few and far between.

2018 was a different story.

Players noticed a difference in Mack during the spring almost immediately. With Jimbo Fisher as head honcho, he must have gotten through to Mack, who came into spring practices in the best shape of his career and was impressing the coaching staff with his effort to get better.

It carried over into the season. When Michael Clemons was lost with an injury and Kingsley Keke moved outside, the opportunity for Mack to start arose and he took full advantage. He was a force to be reckoned with. The Aggies finished with a Top 5 rush defense and it had a lot to do with Mack and Justin Madubuike dominating inside.

Mack’s improvement got him noticed by NFL Scouts. Still, some wondered if he had what it took to make it in the NFL. His draft prospects had him mostly going later in the draft. The East-West practices have showcased a dedicated Mack and he’s earning the praise of several in attendance.

Jeff Risdom of football.realgm.com had this to say following practice on Tuesday:

"Daylon Mack, DT, Texas A&M–another Aggie who is blossoming away from College Station, at least for 2 days of practice. Malicious hands and natural burst low to the ground are bad news for those trying to block him."

Cowboys Wire also had this to say about Mack:

"His natural leverage and power of this former five-star recruit suggests he could be a possible nose tackle in the Cowboy defensive system. The 6-foot-0, 320 pounder was one of the more popular players after active practices, attracting attention not only from the Cowboys, but also scouts from four other clubs; Arizona, Buffalo, Carolina and Philadelphia."

There is a lot of promise with Mack. The right coach can get a ton out of this kid, and it’s clear he’s doing everything he can to go high in the draft. His efforts got him a late invite to the Senior Bowl, where he’ll line up against the top seniors looking to hear their named called in the 2019 NFL Draft.

Next. Ranking Aggies by their 2019 NFL Draft stock. dark

Jeff Shull is the Site Expert for the Gig Em Gazette on FanSided. Follow him on Twitter, and be sure to follow the Gig Em Gazette on Facebook and Twitter.