The Las Vegas Raiders‘ first preseason game is in the books, and we have a better idea of who will make the roster. One of the most interesting draft picks the team made was selecting former Montana State quarterback Tommy Mellott in the sixth round.
While he played quarterback in college, the Raiders transitioned him to wide receiver due to his 4.39 40-yard dash speed. However, the transition has been a bit slow. He had one catch for -2 yards in the first preseason game against the Seattle Seahawks.
The Raiders can’t expect Mellott to be a big impact player at wide receiver immediately after playing quarterback for so long, but they need to see some flashes if he’s going to make the 53-man roster.
As of right now, The Athletic’s Tashan Reed predicts that Mellott won’t make the cut.
“The starting trio feels pretty set here, but there’s still intrigue when it comes to who will make the team as backups,” Reed wrote. “Bech is a lock, but it’s otherwise an open competition. Bachman was a useful special teams player last year and has been improving as a receiver. Mellott is still in the process of learning the position and will have to show more to break through.”
Mellott Would Be Strong Practice Squad Candidate
Even if Mellott doesn’t make the 53-man roster after training camp, that doesn’t mean he won’t stay with the Raiders. General manager John Spytek spoke about how happy he was that the team landed him after the draft, so it’s unlikely he’d already be ready to give up on him.
Mellott would be a prime candidate for the practice squad. He’s a project, so the chances of him playing meaningful snaps this season are small. The practice squad would be the perfect place to stash Mellott as he continues to learn the nuances of playing wide receiver.
There would be a risk with putting Mellott on the practice squad, as it would mean other teams could sign him. The Raiders would also have to waive him, wait for him to clear waivers and then sign him to the practice squad. That might be too risky for Spytek if he truly thinks Mellot can be an impact player.
Mellott Continues to Improve
It’s not an easy transition going from quarterback to wide receiver. They have very different skill sets. Luckily, Mellott has the athletic ability to make the transition, but there are so many small things he has to learn.
Mellott recently spoke about the work he’s putting in at Raiders training camp.
“When I’m out there at practice, those reps are very, very valuable and I go out there and I give the greatest effort I possibly can and let that be a non-negotiable,” Mellott told reporters recently. “Make sure my attitude is where it needs to be and day after day make improvement.”
Mellott might be facing an uphill battle making the roster, but he still has potential. It might be a couple of seasons before he’s able to put it all together.
