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Gruden shared draft advice with Mayock: 'Don't mess it up'

Don Juan Moore / Getty Images Sport / Getty

All eyes are on new Oakland Raiders general manager Mike Mayock as the 2019 NFL Draft approaches, especially head coach Jon Gruden's.

Mayock shared the advice he was given by Gruden ahead of his first draft with the Raiders.

"Don't mess it up, dude," Gruden told Mayock, according to ESPN's Paul Gutierrez. "I took a lot of slings to get you three first-round picks."

Oakland holds the No. 4, No. 24, and No. 27 picks, and Mayock understands the importance of adding long-term assets in 2019.

"We better get four foundation football players," Mayock said. "We define foundation as talent and football character. That's what we want. Guys that love the game. And if we don't move up or down or anywhere, man, we better get four of those guys."

Mayock added, "But at the end of the day, here's the deal. If we win, everything will be fine. And if we lose, I'll get fired. And I'm perfectly fine with that."

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