Oakland Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie was unable to make his first pick with the organization in 2012 until the end of the third round due to some head-scratching trades made before he came to town. However, since that first draft, Oakland has picked at No. 3 (D.J. Hayden), No. 5 (Khalil Mack) and No. 4 (Amari Cooper) in the first round. Though the top of the draft is where the most highly valued talent is, it's not a place teams want to find themselves in year after year.
Consistently picking in the top five means your team is also a consistent loser. Following an encouraging 7-9 season, the Raiders hold the No. 14 pick and appear poised to finally climb out of the cellar of the AFC.
"This is a little different," McKenzie said in a recent interview. "Prefer to be picking 32nd (as the defending Super Bowl champion), but the lower you pick, as far as down the line, it's harder to figure out what the other teams are going to do.
"So this is different than picking top 5."
The Raiders managed just a 3-13 record in 2014 before seeing a four-win jump this past year. Though it means they'll have to wait longer to get on the clock when the first round kicks off later this week, it doesn't mean they're changing their approach or mindset.
"Doesn't change," McKenzie said. "We're still going to get the best player. We're not about just going for a specific need. We want to get the best player that can help this football team. The philosophy still hasn't changed."
When it comes to top-five picks, fans and owners expect big returns. After all, those guys are the stars of the draft. So picking later in the first round shouldn't come with as much pressure, correct?
"Honestly, I think it's more pressure," the GM said. "That's my approach. I really do (think that way). You guys write about how good Khalil and Amari and Derek (Carr) and all these guys are. I mean that's, how can that not put pressure on me?
"We've got to continue to get really good players in here. We're looking forward to build on that."
The Raiders have a handful of needs they can address with the No. 14 overall pick, including linebacker and running back. But an impressive free agent class that includes OL Kelechi Osemele, pass rusher Bruce Irvin, safety Reggie Nelson and cornerback Sean Smith has filled several holes on this roster for the 2016 season. McKenzie just needs to go out there and add another good player when Oakland is on the clock.
Follow Brandon Katz at @Great_Katzby
