Mike Mayock speaks out about his pre-draft preparation

Now that the senior bowl, combine and pro days have wrapped up, it’s time for Jon Gruden and Mike Mayock to complete their big board and shift their focus on draft day scenarios.

The draft process is always a critical time for owners, general managers and head coaches.

Raiders new general manager Mike Mayock has an extraordinary reputation as being a draft expert during his time in the media. Now, as the Raiders general manager, he will put his expertise to the test in order to capitalize on the multitude of draft picks that the organization currently holds.

Mayock took to the podium on Thursday at the Raiders headquarters discussing his preparation leading up to the draft, and scenarios that may occur on draft day.

With the Raiders having four picks inside the first 35 selections, it’s without a doubt, a draft that Mayock must hit on, in order to get the organization in the right direction.

“As Jon keeps telling me, don’t mess it up dude, I took a lot of slings to get you three first-round picks. I don’t feel any pressure, I love it and embrace it because it’s going to give us the opportunity to turn the corner here and become a good football team.”

The Raiders will look to grab four guys who can develop into legitimate starters in the NFL with their early picks. Most notably needing help on the defensive side of the ball, as their defense ranked among the leagues worst. Although, Gruden always enjoys a new weapon to implement into his offense. Only time will tell, how many of the first four selections will be used to help mold Paul Guenther’s defense into a quality unit.

“I’m a son of a coach and I know how coaches think, and coaches think “need”. We are a coach driven building, our coaches are highly involved and that’s good. I embrace that, the flip side is you can’t reach. You have to use some common sense and that’s what I preach upstairs.”

Mayock appears to be pretty clear that reaching on a player just because a position coach likes them, will likely not happen. In the past Mayock has had a pretty good idea of the range that each player will be selected at.

During the draft process many players have seen a spike in their draft stock, whereas some have seen their’s get deflated. Most of that is from how they tested out at the combine and their pro day. Mayock spoke out on players having their stock fluctuate during this time.

“I think a lot of it is media driven and you’re trying to stay true to what your grades were coming through the fall and into February, when you stacked the board the first time. I’m not going to lie to you, there’s guys that ran faster, they ran slower. We are finding more about them medically and character. It’s more intangible things that causes a guy to move up or down.”

With more picks than any other team in the first round, the Raiders have several options to their disposal. They can move up to get a player they really like, or trade down and accumulate even more picks. Gruden did some wheeling and dealing last year on draft day, when he traded back and selected LT Kolton Miller. Also, trading a third-round pick to the Steelers for WR Martavis Bryant.

“We can move up, we can move back. Personally, you heard me just say how much I love 20-60. I’d love to get a couple more picks in there. I think we have a lot of holes that need to be filled and I think that’s a really good place to go fishing. We better get four foundation football players. We define foundation as talent and football character.”

With just two weeks away from draft day, Mayock and Gruden will finish up their visits with prospects and complete their draft board for the big day.