Q&A with 'Touchdown' Tommy Mellott, the quarterback-turned-receiver from Montana

Aug 13, 2025 at 08:00 AM

Levi Edwards

Digital Team Reporter

As the Raiders' 2025 draft picks go through their first NFL training camp, Raiders.com's Levi Edwards is sitting down with each player for a Q&A.

Next is sixth-round pick Tommy Mellott.

Levi Edwards: How was the nickname "Touchdown Tommy" bestowed upon you?

Tommy Mellott: "It was a kind of a recruiting tactic from the Montana State staff when I was a junior and senior in high school. I had success within Montana football, I was Gatorade Player of the Year and I think it's a common nickname for guys named Tommy. The nickname was brought up even before I got to Montana State. I was never a huge fan of it to be honest with you. I never saw myself as some egotistical, self-proclaimed 'Touchdown Tommy' when I hadn't even made it to Montana State to play yet.

"When I got there, the last game of the season we did some wildcat stuff and I ended up scoring three touchdowns in a game against Idaho. Troy Anderson who was our star [player], he's playing for the Atlanta Falcons now, he was in a meeting room and termed it right then and there. After that, I became the starting quarterback in the playoffs and we went to the national championship game."

LE: What's something you'd tell someone visiting Montana they must see?

TM: "Everyone asks me between Glacier National Park and Yellowstone. I think Yellowstone is a beautiful place, it's almost extraterrestrial. That's how I would describe it. There's a lot of beauty; there's a lot of animals. But if you want to go see Montana glaciers, it's the most beautiful thing – that general area. I'm a huge fan of Montana and I kind of want to keep it under the radar still."

LE: When did you start to realize you could be an NFL player?

TM: "When I was in high school, I was solely focused on my high school career and I never thought too much about my college career. And the same way as when I was in college, I was present every single day and never really thought to be honest like, 'Oh, I've got to make it to the NFL.' Essentially that very last game, the national championship, there was a realization that was the last football game I was ever going to play in. A lot of people had invites to camp, to All-Star games, to the Combine and I didn't have anything.

"I felt that it'd be a disservice if I didn't go and at least make an attempt to present myself to an NFL team. Ultimately I had a great pro day and I think teams took notice of that. It was the last pro day of the season and the Raiders gave me a shot. It was the biggest blessing."

LE: How is the process of switching from quarterback to receiver going?

TM: "I've had that perception that if I was going to go to the next level, I was going to be used in a unique way. I wasn't going to be a clear-cut quarterback, but I didn't know if I was going to be a receiver. I had no idea what it was going to be. I just had an open mind and a open heart. It's just whatever the will is of God and whatever I can do to help this team out."

LE: What's been you favorite thing about training camp so far?

TM: "The best thing is just being around the guys in this building. ... To have growth, you need to learn from new people and meet new people and endure different challenges. But also, there's so many amazing people in here that support you and love you and want to see you succeed. We're competing every single day and I think it cultivates an opportunity for you to grow as an individual."

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Q&A with Jack Bech

Q&A with Ashton Jeanty

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Las Vegas Raiders safety Thomas Harper (34) on the field for practice at 2025 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.