GREEN BAY, Wis. — Montana State's Tommy Mellott on Saturday was taken in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft by the Las Vegas Raiders.
Mellott, from Butte, was the 37th pick of the sixth round and the No. 213 overall selection. Mellott is the first Montanan to be drafted into the NFL since Dillon's Troy Andersen was taken in the second round by the Atlanta Falcons out of Montana State.
Related: From Walter Payton Award to NFL prospect: 'I'd bet on Tommy Mellott'
The 6-foot, 208-pound Mellott was a multi-year starter at quarterback for the Bobcats and was the Walter Payton Award winner as the top offensive player in the FCS for the 2024 season. The versatile Mellott rushed for 1,050 yards and 15 touchdowns and also threw for 2,759 yards with 31 TDs as MSU went 15-1 and advanced to the FCS national title game, where it lost 35-32 to North Dakota State in Frisco, Texas.
Mellott is projected as a wide receiver in the NFL and worked out at that position during Montana State's pro day in Bozeman on April 4. He also had an official time of 4.39 seconds in the 40-yard dash and also impressed with a 41-inch vertical jump.
According to other pro-day data, Mellott had 19 reps of 225 pounds in the bench press, which reportedly would've tied for second among receivers at the NFL Scouting Combine. Mellott's time in the 40, as well as his vertical jump, would have led all QBs at the combine.
"I wouldn't pigeon-hole him right now," Raiders director of college scouting Brandon Yeargan stated in a draft breakdown on the team website. "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 he plays some quarterback, too.
"He's a unique guy. His testing numbers were through the roof."
After picking Mellott, the Raiders drafted North Dakota State QB Cam Miller two choices later in the sixth round.
Mellott finished his career with 33 victories at quarterback for Montana State, second-most in school history. He had 43 rushing touchdowns, which ranks second, 3,523 rushing yards, also ranking second, 5,810 passing yards (fifth) and 53 passing TDs (fifth). Mellott finished with 96 total career TDs.
In the lead-up to the draft, Mellott drew comparisons with former New England Patriots receiver Julian Edelman, who was also a quarterback at the College of San Mateo and later at Division I Kent State. At Kent State, Edelman was a three-year starter at QB but was drafted by the Patriots in the seventh round in 2009 as a wide receiver.
At the time he was selected, Mellott was one of five former Big Sky Conference players drafted in 2025 and one of two Montanans, with the other being Montana receiver and return specialist Junior Bergen of Billings, who was taken by the 49ers in the seventh round.
Former Sacramento State running back Cam Skattebo was taken the fourth round by the Giants, while ex-UC Davis linebacker Teddye Buchanan also went in the fourth round to the Ravens. Sac State offensive lineman Jackson Slater went in the fifth round to the Titans, and former Idaho defensive back Marcus Harris went in the sixth round, also to the Titans.
