The Las Vegas Raiders needed depth at quarterback and wide receiver heading into the 2025 NFL Draft. While the latter was sewn up with the selections of Jack Bech in the second round and Dont'e Thornton Jr. in the fourth, the former was not addressed until the sixth round.
That's when the team took Montana State quarterback Tommy Mellott, someone whom most fans had not heard of. In typical fashion, Raider Nation got excited about the selection, until just a few minutes later when the team chose North Dakota State quarterback Cam Miller two picks later.
This caused confusion within the fan base until it was clarified that Mellott was going to play wide receiver. The move from the FCS level to the NFL is already a big step, but for the former Bobcat to be changing positions was another undertaking in and of itself.
Raiders waive sixth-round rookie Tommy Mellott, leave him off practice squad
Unfortunately, the project to turn Mellott into a suitable slot receiver in the NFL seemingly failed, as the Raiders left Mellott off their initial 53-man roster. Many thought that his draft status alone would keep him on, but John Spytek and Pete Carroll had other plans.
Once he cleared waivers, it also seemed like an obvious choice to bring him back to the practice squad, but Las Vegas chose not to do that either, officially parting ways with Mellott. Spytek spoke to the media on Wednesday and addressed the decision.
"I have a lot of respect for Tommy, and there was a lot of hard decisions that we made the last couple of days. Ultimately, our responsibility, coach (Carroll) and myself, is to put the best 53, and then 17 after that, to get ready to win football games," Spytek said. "There's always a development part of that, too. But there's a reality, sometimes, that who is most ready, and who is furthest along and who can help this team win the most. Ultimately, we made some decisions that didn't include him, for now."
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This is obviously a disappointing development for Mellott, as well as the section of Raider Nation that felt the team found a major steal in the sixth round. Giving up on a pick this early feels harsh, but if he truly was not one of the top 70 players on the roster, perhaps it was for the best.
Spytek still thinks the world of Mellott, despite getting lost in the shuffle this preseason and failing to make an impact during the team's three exhibitions. While he initially left the door open for a reunion, the end of his statement indicates that their two paths are not likely to cross again, at least not soon.
"When I talked to him yesterday, you know, he's a great kid. He worked really, really hard to try to become an NFL wide receiver after being an FCS quarterback. I don't think people understand quite how hard that is," Spytek said. "Unfortunately, this is not a field where there's a lot of patience all the time. I still believe in Tommy. I think he's got a really bright future. I really hope that he finds a place where he can find maybe a little more patience from a roster standpoint."