NEWSLETTER
There are few things I enjoy as much as watching Khalil Mack rush the passer.
The combination of raw strength, speed around the edge, agility, and ability makes for spectacular plays throughout the football season. And even though we look at sacks, QB hits, pressures, and tackles-for-loss to help tell us which edge defenders are the best, there are times when the video tells us everything we need to know.
Take this example from NFL analyst Brandon Thorn:
"You see his hips are turned, that's a win for me"
– MackCritical for OL to keep their hips square to the LOS for as long as possible prior to contact. Eliminates the two-way go. https://t.co/O4eehQqY8r
— Brandon Thorn (@BrandonThornNFL) June 28, 2020
And to think, Mack could be getting better soon.
Mack was one of the attendees at the virtual edition of Von Miller’s annual Pass Rush Summit. The annual gathering features film break-down, tip-sharing, mental skills development, and more.
Check out this list of heavy hitters:
Awesome learning during the @VonMiller pass rush summit. Thanks @chucksmithnfl and all the other panelist! pic.twitter.com/vHV3GHDdD4
— Defensive Linemen (@DLineclub) June 26, 2020
That’s who’s-who of elite pass-rushing talent that features Miller, Mack, Myyles Garrett, DeForest Buckner, Chandler Jones, Cameron Jordan, and so many other of the most feared QB hunters in the game. Oh, to be a fly on the wall to hear this collection of stars talk shop.
Mack wasn’t the only Bears player to take part in the event. Rookie Trevis Gipson was in attendance, too. And this wasn’t Gipson’s first rodeo, either. According to reporting by Ryan O’Halloran of the Denver Post, Gipson attended last year’s Pass Rush Summit in Las Vegas. Gipson idolized Miller growing up and even listed him as his favorite player in Tulsa’s media guide, so it is fitting to see the youngster get a chance to learn from his idol. And that he is doing it (again) just months after being selected in the fifth round by the Bears in the NFL Draft has to feel special.
In case you’re not familiar with Gipson, you’ll want to read this and watch this:
Gipson still has some work to do before he entrenches himself in the Bears’ rotation of pass-rushers. Because in addition to starters Khalil Mack and Robert Quinn, reserves Barkevious Mingo and Isaiah Irving are ahead of him on the depth chart. But from a developmental standpoint, there’s probably nowhere better for Gipson to be than behind Mack and Quinn. That he is getting additional tutelage from the likes of those who attended Miller’s pass-rush camp is just icing on the cake.
