McKenzie won’t tip his hand before draft
Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie and coach Jack Del Rio had their best poker faces on during Friday’s league-mandated pre-NFL draft news conference. And McKenzie and Del Rio may never show their hands, not even after the three-day draft, which starts Thursday night.
The media and fans are probably never going to find out what the team was thinking just before and after every pick. They certainly don’t know now, after practically every question Friday was swatted away as though the Raiders brass were Dikembe Mutombo.
“Do the Raiders still have a pressing need at pass rusher?” was asked — which is practically the equivalent of, “Does the sun go down every day?” (Oakland had a franchise-low 22 sacks last season and its four big defensive free-agent signees this offseason combined for two.)
“We don’t want to just throw out the information of what we need, but there are some good players in this draft and we will get some of those guys,” McKenzie said.
McKenzie and Del Rio also wouldn’t discuss any of the top prospects, what they consider to be the deepest positions in the draft or whether this year’s receiver class is comparable to last year’s special one.
The only fact that is crystal clear is that the Raiders — coming off a 3-13 season — have the No. 4 pick overall pick. This is the second consecutive year they’ve been in the top five (last year, Khalil Mack was taken fifth).
The word of the day Friday was “inclusive.” Del Rio was up there with McKenzie talking about the draft, after three years of McKenzie handling the annual news conference solo, without coach Dennis Allen.
“Can you get him out of my office?” McKenzie said of Del Rio, chuckling.
And Del Rio was hired after owner Mark Davis got involved and had his own conversation with him.
That McKenzie is being “inclusive” after going 11-37 his first three years as general manager is not surprising. He is still expected to call the shots in the draft room, though, based on the success he had in the draft last year.
McKenzie did remarkably well on five of his picks. The first four — outside linebacker Mack, quarterback Derek Carr, left guard Gabe Jackson and defensive tackle Justin Ellis — all started and looked like foundation pieces, and seventh-round pick T.J. Carrie is penciled in at starting cornerback this season.
Del Rio said he is excited about adding another impact player in the first round.
“Sitting at No. 4, you know you’re looking at some of the very best players,” he said. “I mean, when you’re sitting at the top, you’ve got a chance to make sure you acquire a real good football player.”
The Raiders seemed poised to address their two biggest needs: receiver and pass rusher. With USC defensive lineman Leonard Williams expected to be picked in the top three, Oakland could add an impact receiver such as Alabama’s Amari Cooper or West Virginia’s Kevin White.
Or with such a deep class of receivers — as many as eight could go in the first round — the Raiders could wait and see who falls to 36th, and take a pass rusher in the first round.
Florida’s Dante Fowler and Clemson’s Vic Beasley have shown the ability to get to the quarterback, as has Nebraska’s Randy Gregory, who has fallen down the draft board after failing a drug test at the NFL combine.
Have the Raiders gotten phone calls from other teams inquiring about the fourth pick.
McKenzie: (Pause) Yes.”