Martavis Bryant appreciates fresh start in Oakland.

ALAMEDA >> Martavis Bryant was uninterested in dodging the questions as if he were trying to escape from a cornerback in the secondary.

“It’s not my first rodeo,” the Raiders newest wide receiver said Friday. “I had my difficulties in the past, but I’ve come a long way from that. It’s all about just keeping the right resources around me and continue to stay on the right path. I want to make sure I get that done.”

Bryant, 26, was acquired from the Pittsburgh Steelers Thursday for a thirdround draft pick. His talent is undeniable — he’s 6-foot4, 211 pounds and blindingly fast — but there are two suspensions for violating the NFL’s policy of substance abuse in his past.

In 2016, Bryant was suspended for the entire season, giving him plenty of time to think about it.

“Just a reality check, seeing who was there for me, who wasn’t,” Bryant said. “I stay close to my family. I have a son that’s about to be born. I stayed focused on my family and taking care of myself and being the best Martavis Bryant I can be.

“I wasn’t able to play football so I tried to stay away from it and just focus on my family and myself.”

Given that Bryant would likely face an indefinite suspension with another slip-up, there is some risk involved for the Raiders. Coach Jon Gruden has inside information on Bryant, having seen the Steelers as an analyst. Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin was on Gruden’s staff in Tampa Bay.

“I’ve seen the Steelers practice in my previous position. The man knows how to practice, the man knows how to prepare,” Gruden said. “He’s been through a lot in his life. He’s got something to prove, and I think we’re catching him at the right time.

“Mike Tomlin is a friend of mine. I coached with Mike, and I’ve got a lot of confidence in this young man. I think a change of scenery can unleash his greatness. To put him in the lineup with Jordy Nelson and Amari Cooper and Jared Cook and Derek Carr excites me a lot.”

In three seasons with the Steelers, Bryant (6foot-4, 211 pounds) caught 126 passes for 1,917 yards and 17 touchdowns. Last season, Bryant caught 50 passes for 603 yards and three touchdowns and made a public plea to be traded after losing playing time to rookie JuJu SmithSchuster.

Gruden noted Bryant’s size and speed (a sub-4.4 40-yard dash) and believes he’ll help with the running and passing game.

“I think it will help our running game, honestly. I’m sure (Marshawn Lynch) is sitting at home, happy with this acquisition,” Gruden said. “You want to bring the safety down in the box and play an eight-man front, we’ve got a quarterback who can recognize that and create some matchups on the outside where it’s one-on-one and this man has made a living down the field, getting the football.”

Bryant was a fourthround draft pick out of Clemson in 2014, the same year the Raiders got Khalil Mack, Derek Carr, Gabe Jackson and Justin Ellis. General manager Reggie McKenzie remembers Bryant in the evaluation process.

“We you get a guy his size, and the way he ran, he was going to be a threat, and we’re excited to add him to our roster right now,” McKenzie said. “I’m sure he’s going to elevate our offense, and he’s going to elevate this team.”

• Third-round draft pick Brandon Parker from North Carolina A&T is an electrical engineering major who became interested in the subject because he broke his PlayStation2 as a youth and had to learn how to put it back together.

He believes there’s an overlap with football.

“You have to learn how to decipher situations quickly,” Parker said. “You have to be prepared for scenarios and the worst-case scenario possible. You have to get solutions on the fly. That’s a big part of being an offensive linemen.”

• How does one player block 14 kicks? P.J. Hall, a 6-foot, 310-pound defensive tackle, explains how he did it at Sam Houston State.

“It’s all just about effort, going hard every play whether it’s offense, defense or special teams,” Hall said. “I just make sure I give effort on every play because you nevder know when one of those specialty plays will come and make a difference in a game.”

Hall said his selection in the second round — the Raiders traded up to get him — was a complete surprise.

“I hadn’t heard about me going in the second round at all during this draft process, so it really shocked me when I got the phone call,” Hall said.

• Gruden was pleased with the draft process and working with McKenzie during a long day.

“I thought Reggie did a good job, and I thought we worked well together,” Gruden said. “There were some tense moments. It’s not easy working with me, to be honest. I’m a pain in the ass up there.”