Raiders see sixth-rounder Tommy Mellott as "unique guy," won't "pigeonhole" his role

Raiders sixth-round pick Tommy Mellott played quarterback at Montana State, but the team announced him as a wide receiver when they selected him last month and that led to a lot of Julian Edelman references.

Edelman made the same transition when he went from Kent State to the Patriots and Tom Brady's presence as a Raiders co-owner only made it easier to see a link between the two players. Edelman was also an outstanding punt returner early in his career and Raiders college scouting director Brandon Yeargan suggested that special teams is also an area the Raiders think will be part of Mellott's portfolio.

“I wouldn’t pigeonhole him right now,” Yeargan said, via Vincent Bonsignore of 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 him] really as an athlete/receiver, but he’s a unique guy.”

For every Edelman, there are plenty of other players who can't make change positions or thrive after making the jump to the NFL so the offseason chatter may not lead to anything substantive come the fall. The Raiders need all the help they can get, though, and Mellott will get a chance to provide some.