The Las Vegas Raiders threw some fans a curveball on Day 3 of the 2025 NFL Draft when they selected two FCS quarterbacks within three picks of one another in Montana State's Tommy Mellott and North Dakota State's Cam Miller. However, it appears as though only Miller is sticking at quarterback.
Mellott, who lost to Miller in the FCS championship game, will be converted to wide receiver once he gets his feet wet in the pros. The comparisons to Julian Edelman, a former college quarterback himself, make sense, but the Raiders might be planning something even bigger for him.
Raiders college scouting director Brandon Yeargen believes that Mellott could not only play wide receiver, but he could also compete for a kick returner role. Mellott may not have completely closed the door on quarterback, according to Yeargen. This sounds like a new-and-improved Taysom Hill.
"I wouldn't pigeonhole him right now," Yeargan said, via the Las Vegas Review-Journal. "I would say we view him as a receiver that's going to have a lot of value in the kicking game, potentially as a returner, as a cover player, maybe play some quarterback, too. We're looking [at Mellott] really as an athlete/receiver, but he's a unique guy."
Raiders rookie Tommy Mellott will play wide receiver, kick returner, and quarterback
Mellott won the Walter Payton Award, which is the FCS equivalent of the Heisman Trophy, during his final season with the Bobcats. Mellott threw for 31 touchdowns against just two interceptions while rushing for 1,050 yards and 15 touchdowns on the ground last season.
Mellott landed in a spot that could get the most out of him early in his career. On top of the fact that he landed on a team that is incredibly thin at wide receiver and could use him as a weapon in the passing game.
Carroll played converted linebackers at fullback and turned basketball players into offensive tackles during his time with the Seahawks. If anyone has a history with making unusual position changes work, it's him. Offensive coordinator Chip Kelly is as creative an offensive mind as they come.
Mellott might not be the type of player who will change the scope of the Las Vegas offense immediately, but it also doesn't take a genius to see how he could be the type of player who adds the same degree of spice Hill adds in New Orleans should he develop properly.