Raiders 6th-round rookie Tommy Mellott is making a position change
Mellott, the Raiders' sixth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, played QB at Montana State. He was a supremely athletic quarterback at the FCS level, earning the Walter Payton Award after rushing for over 1,000 yards and 15 TDs to go with his prodigious passing figures (2,700 yards, 31 TDs). His athletic testing was phenomenal, leading to a very high RAS score that was primarily dragged down by his lack of height:
New Raiders coach Pete Carroll and his staff expected to make the position switch with Mellott. He was listed as a wide receiver in Las Vegas's rookie minicamp. There was some talk about having Mellott be a multipurpose weapon, a la Taysom Hill, but through the recent Raiders workouts, Mellott has been competing at slot receiver.
Advertisement
He's not the only position convert in Raiders camp. The team is also working on converting former Bills fifth-round pick Justin Shorter from wide receiver to tight end.
This article originally appeared on Draft Wire: Raiders 6th-round rookie Tommy Mellott moving from QB to WR
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Post
an hour ago
- New York Post
Raiders releasing Christian Wilkins one year after signing him to $110 million contract amid injury drama
The Raiders are releasing standout defensive tackle Christian Wilkins in a shocking move after he completed just one year of the five-year, $110 million contract he signed in 2024, the team announced. The release is with the designation of terminated vested veteran, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported, and the Raiders are voiding the remaining $35.2 million off the guaranteed money that he has left on his contract. Wilkins filed a grievance with the NFLPA on Thursday over the decision. The decision was made due to the way Wilkins was treating the rehab for the foot injury that cost him all but five games last season. Las Vegas Raiders defensive tackle Christian Wilkins (94) warms up before an NFL preseason football game against the Minnesota Vikings, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024, in Minneapolis. AP The Raiders and Wilkins had been at odds over whether or not to have surgery on the foot, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported. Las Vegas had been urging him to, while Wilkins had declined several opinions, according to the report. Wilkins is a six-year NFL pro and has played in 86 career games, which include 82 starts. He had recorded 372 combined tackles, 22.5 sacks and four forced fumbles, but failed to make the impact Las Vegas had hoped for due to his foot injury. Wilkins had been injured during a Week 5 loss to the Broncos. The defensive tackle had 11 solo tackles last season and two sacks. Las Vegas Raiders defensive tackle Christian Wilkins (94) looks on during the first half of an NFL preseason football game against the Dallas Cowboys, Saturday, Aug 17, 2024, in Las Vegas. AP Wilkins had been placed on the PUP list last Friday and it was unclear when he would be able to return. 'It's still uncertain,' Raiders head coach Pete Carroll said during a Tuesday press conference. 'We sort of have to wait it out.' Wilkins had been recently spotted wearing a walking boot, according to Pro Football Talk. He had been expected to be a big part of the Raiders' defensive scheme going into 2025 alongside defensive stalwart Maxx Crosby.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Miami Dolphins, Mike McDaniel inspired by Darren Waller's story of sobriety
MIAMI GARDENS — Maybe this was just meant to be. Darren Waller, a man who once thought he was done with football, realized he still had something to offer the game. He was a tight end in need of a team, so he called his agent. And it just so happened that Drew Rosenhaus knew of a team in need of a tight end. That's how the pieces started coming together, but that's only a slice of this story. Darren Waller isn't shy about sharing the other part. He's open about a past that includes abusing alcohol and drugs, but he'll also tell you how the road to sobriety made him a better, stronger person than ever — and never mind the Pro Bowl era in which he was unstoppable. More: Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa wondered where Minkah Fitzpatrick's 'headspace' was after trade Yes, Waller and the Dolphins were indeed a match. 'I had a lot of positive thoughts,' coach Mike McDaniel said in his first comments on the signing as training camp opened. 'I was very happy. Just because I know a lot more.' Specifically? 'I couldn't be happier to have a guy that just walks in the door as a daily inspiration, because a lot of people have problems. He's shared problems we're not talking about in a press conference. A lot of people hide from things. He doesn't.' Left unsaid was that McDaniel, too, faced challenges on the road to sobriety, and he, too, has openly discussed them since arriving in Miami. Sentimentality has no place in constructing an NFL roster. But a coach understanding his players does. It turns out that if any coach played a significant role in bringing Waller to Miami, it was offensive coordinator Frank Smith. He was an assistant on the Raiders in 2018 who helped Waller blossom from a Baltimore Ravens cast-off into a star who for two seasons befuddled defenses. Waller had wide-receiver speed that linebackers couldn't match, yet at 6-feet-6 and 238 pounds, he could shake off defensive backs. 'Frank is my guy, man," Waller said. 'When I got claimed off the Ravens' practice squad in 2018, I got to the Raiders and he was my tight ends coach. Met me at the door and one of the first things he was interested in was what do I need as a man in my newfound sobriety, whatever I need to just be solid as a human being, and that struck me a lot.' Darren Waller goes from suspension to Pro Bowl Waller had just served a seasonlong suspension for failing multiple drug tests. One year after meeting Smith, Waller was embarking on back-to-back 1,100-yard seasons, totaling 197 receptions and 12 touchdowns. That's the kind of player the New York Giants hoped they were getting when they traded for him in 2023. Instead, Waller had 552 yards and one touchdown. And retired. If that sets off warning bells that Waller may be a poor replacement for Jonnu Smith, it's understandable. Players don't walk away from the NFL for no reason. Some come back strong. Many do not. 'I also felt like this was a good opportunity for me to – if this is my last chapter playing football, to close it in a way that's different than I did before and one that allows me to tap into the joy of why I started doing it in the first place,' Waller said. Waller said he didn't watch much football while out of the league in 2024. He devoted himself to 'things I needed to work on' as a person, which, the Dolphins were happy to find out, included a devotion to working out. He traveled. He's a rap artist whose music is personal. Title of his 2021 album: 'Delusions of Clarity.' His 2023 album: 'Walking Miracle.' 'What you mean I ain't the one?' he asks on his 2025 single, 'Top Play.' 'Every time I ran a route they had the whole (bleeping) team on me.' Will he warrant that kind of attention as a Dolphin? Tyreek Hill would love that. First, Waller must prove he's closer to the Raiders version of himself than the Giants version. Doing that requires answering that overarching question of drive. Perhaps Waller's response is contained in 'Sweep,' a new single recorded with ex-Dolphin Terron Armstead and ex-Jaguar DJ Chark. 'They call it lucky,' Waller says in the song. 'I give it my all every day of the week.' Waller inspired a young Alec Ingold Dolphins fullback and captain Alec Ingold was a teammate of Waller's on the Raiders. Meeting with reporters just before Waller, Ingold said he was 'so excited for you guys to meet him,' describing Waller as unique. 'I remember my rookie year, the rookies come in and you have a symposium,' Ingold said. 'And he shared his story. He was two, three years in the league and the amount of vulnerability like that was something where I knew if I were ever in a leadership position, I wanted to be like Darren Waller. He impacted our lives so much from that one conversation.' Minutes later, standing at a podium in a news conference, Waller faced what can be a stiff setting. He wouldn't let it become one, smiling throughout and never flinching, whether the subject was football or sobriety. 'I feel like for me to be as effective of a football player I can be, I need to be sober in all ways,' he said. 'Sober emotionally and continuing to do what brought me here. Continuing to put my recovery first, continuing to read, continuing to keep a creative flow with the things I like to do. 'I feel like all those things work in balance to allow me to approach the game with a full cup, a lot to give. I'm not coming here for what I can gain but what I can give to this team, what I can give to the fans, what I can give to whoever is tuning in and maybe look for inspiration from somebody.' Miami Dolphins Fins Up/Fins Down: Day 1 training camp Miami Dolphins CB Artie Burns feared to have torn ACL, ESPN reports Miami Dolphins' Bayron Matos injured at training camp, taken off field by helicopter This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: New Dolphins tight end Darren Waller talks football, sobriety
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Raiders release Christian Wilkins after one season. Why?
Twelve months ago, the Las Vegas Raiders made defensive tackle Christian Wilkins one of the highest-paid defenders in the league with a huge deal in free agency. One year later, the two have parted ways. The Raiders have released Wilkins, they announced Thursday night on social media, one year into the five-year, $110 million deal they signed him to last offseason. Wilkins suffered a Jones fracture in his foot in Week 5 against the Denver Broncos last season and missed the rest of the year. He had surgery to repair the fracture and was placed on the reserve/PUP list on July 18. Less than a week later, the franchise released him. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported that Wilkins and the Raiders disagreed on another surgery to repair his foot. Las Vegas reportedly wanted him to have that done while Wilkins declined. "We have decided that it is in the best interests of the organization to move on from Christian Wilkins and he has been informed of his release from the team," the Raiders said in a statement. "The franchise has a commitment to excellence on and off the field. With no clear path or plan for future return to play from Christian, this transaction is necessary for the entire organization to move forward and prepare for the new season." Las Vegas has already paid Wilkins nearly $22 million of the $57 million in guaranteed money included in his contract signed last offseason. The Raiders voided the remaining $35.2 million of his contract in June, per ESPN's Adam Schefter, but Wilkins has filed a grievance with the NFL Players' Association over that. Raiders DT depth chart With Wilkins now out, here's a look at the rest of the depth chart at defensive tackle for Las Vegas: Adam Butler Leki Fotu Zach Carter Tonka Hemingway JJ Pegues Jonah Laulu Tank Booker Treven Ma'ae The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Christian Wilkins news: Raiders release DT after 1 season
