Day 3 of the NFL Draft requires teams to uncover potential gems, even if that means thinking outside the box to find them. The Las Vegas Raiders did just that in the sixth round of this year's draft, as they took Montana State quarterback Tommy Mellott with the No. 213 pick.
Last season, Mellott won the Walter Payton Award for the Bobcats, which is the FCS version of the Heisman Trophy. He led his team to a 15-1 record and an appearance in the FCS National Championship game, thanks in part to his 46 total touchdowns and nearly 4,000 all-purpose yards while only throwing two interceptions.
However, coming from an FCS program and standing at just over 5-foot-11 and 200 pounds, Mellott did not fit the profile of an NFL quarterback. His incredibly high Relative Athletic Score led many scouts to believe that he could be a professional athlete, but that he needed to become a slot wide receiver in the NFL. His 4.39-second 40-yard dash and 41-inch vertical jump are just the tip of the iceberg in terms of Mellott's athleticism, so the Raiders took the bait on him in a late round.
Tommy Mellott welcomes comparison that is convenient and correct
When it was revealed that Mellott was this year's "Prospect X," ESPN's Kalyn Kahler quickly noted that he grew up as a fan of the New England Patriots. This is convenient, as many have already begun comparing him to former franchise legend Julian Edelman, who played quarterback in college for the Kent State Golden Flashes before transitioning to becoming a slot receiver in the NFL.
In Mellott's first interview with Raiders reporters and the greater Las Vegas media, he made it clear that he is willing to contribute to the team in any way possible. At Montana State, he began his career as a wideout and special teams ace before transitioning to quarterback, so he has made a living off being adaptable. When asked if there were any players whom he emulated, he acknowledged his fandom of Edelman.
"It's funny that you mention the emulation of a player that has done something similar," Mellott said. "I grew up as a huge Julian Edelman fan. Obviously, (he) played quarterback in college and made that transition. I remember when he was a rookie, he obviously played on the offensive side of the ball. ... But he was really big as a punt returner."
Mellott also noted how his transition from college quarterback to NFL wide receiver should be done in his own way, without trying to replicate exactly how Edelman did it.
That said, plenty of incoming rookies would brush off a legendary NFL comparison because for fear that they would fail to live up to expectations.
However, bringing up Edelman when prompted shows that Mellott does not run away from this comparison, but he embraces it. Outside of his athleticism, his attitude and approach were two of the big reasons that the Raiders drafted him, and those two shine through in his recent statements.
