BOZEMAN, Mont. — Butte native Tommy Mellott became a Treasure State staple during his time as Montana State’s quarterback, but he’s preparing to set his sights on the National Football League.

Mellott was surrounded by loved ones at home on Day 3 of the 2025 NFL Draft as the Las Vegas Raiders took him in the sixth round with the 213th pick.

“To be sitting there with my family, my friends, my coaches, my girlfriend, all of those people that have meant so much to me in my entire life, it was a surreal moment to sit there and get your name called for an NFL draft. It was a pretty amazing moment,” Mellott said.

It was his support system that got Mellott to reach the NFL ranks, but it’s other Montana natives who are looking to help him on the field.

The transition from the collegiate level to the pros requires change. Mellott exchanges the blue and gold for silver and black, and will wear No. 19 instead of No. 4 like he did with MSU.

Mellott is also changing positions from quarterback to wide receiver in the slot position.

“Tommy’s a great player and a better person,” Raiders special teams coordinator Tom McMahon said. “We knew the player just off of the tape and now we’re getting to know the person, and I think Butte should be very, very proud of Tommy and where he is going to go.”

But what will give Tommy his best shot at playing time in his rookie season is special teams.

Mellott has been working with the Helena native and now Montana Football Hall of Fame member McMahon. Mellott does have a history on special teams when he first suited up as a freshman for the Bobcats and looks primed to compete as a punt returner.

“I think the biggest thing is his ability to adapt,” McMahon said. “He’s playing a new position, especially on special teams. A lot of these guys that have played quarterback haven’t played on special teams, and he came in ready.”

But no one knows the skillset of a punt returner better than someone who did it in the NFL.

Mellott is all ears to learn in any way he can, even if it’s from a former Montana Grizzly. Former NFL wide receiver/returner and Montana Football Hall of Fame member Marc Mariani has given to Mellott on the art of special teams.

The Havre product Mariani played for seven years in the NFL with the Tennessee Titans and Chicago Bears, and finished his career with over 5,000 total return yards as well as 27 receptions.

“It was great hearing from him,” Mellott said. “Obviously, trying to implement whatever I can, retrain my body, retrain my mind, all those things here in these couple weeks here before I go back to training camp, so I can put my best foot forward and help out the Raiders however I can.”

But although Mellott has gone rookie camp, OTA’s, and summer workouts in Las Vegas, he still tries to find the opportunity to return home and to his support system.

“Really the biggest thing is that it’s awesome to see the smiles, the excitement, the fun, the joy, the competition that these kids get the opportunity to do, because I think every opportunity you get to compete, every opportunity you get to learn how your body hurts is great,” Mellott said while back in Butte help with the Uptown Skills Youth Camp.

Mellott knows support can take you as high as you want to go, but there must be the spark of inspiration.

For him, it was Butte native, former Montana and NFL defensive back, and current San Francisco 49ers assistant special teams coach, Colt Anderson, who set up the Uptown Skills Youth Camp as part of his Dream Big Foundation.

“I have a ball in my room in my parent’s house, that’s still just sitting there and it’s a ball signed by him that says, ‘Dream Big,’ and that’s obviously what his foundation became, but this was kind of before all of that,” Mellott said.

“It’s just something that I’ve always wanted to live by, and so, you can see how it can impact an individual like me, how Colt did, and I would love to be that motivator too and role model for another kid here today maybe,” he added.

Mellott reports for the Las Vegas Raiders Training Camp on July 17, where he’ll look to land a spot on the 53-man roster.