Raiders 2025: Tommy Mellott, Tre Tucker can ignite return game

Pair of explosive wide receivers provide a jolt; an early look at other potential return specialists

The naked eye could see the Las Vegas Raiders lack of speed at wide receiver. You didn’t need to be a football junkie to notice.

General manager John Spytek and his player personnel department saw the same. And this offseason, the Raiders new chief personnel man went about remedying that issue.

Along with head coach Pete Carroll, Spytek and the Silver & Black went back to the team’s roots of “scare you to death” speed and bolstered the roster with fleet-footed players and prospects that legendary owner Al Davis would’ve enjoyed.

Las Vegas added explosive elements to the wide receiver room and that should translate into more electricity in the Raiders’ return game. Special teams coordinator Tom McMahon needs a jolt to his unit and the addition of Montana State’s Tommy Mellot in the sixth round (213th overall) of the 2025 NFL Draft gives Las Vegas a burner who can contribute in multiple areas.

“I wouldn’t pigeonhole him right now,” Raiders college scouting director Brandon Yeargan said about Mellott during the team’s post-draft press conference. “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.”

Mellott’s workout during Montana State’s pro day was eye-opening. Measuring in at 5-foot-11 and 200 pounds, the quarterback-turned-wide receiver clocked in a 4.39 40-yard dash along with an impressive 41-inch vertical and 10-feet, 4-inch broad jump. As a runner (3,523 rushing yards at Montana State), Mellott showcased instant acceleration, long speed, and elusiveness that made him a terror in FCS ball.

A return specialist doesn’t necessarily have to be the fastest player on the field, but it’s that combined elusiveness and vision Mellott showcased during his collegiate career that can be a difference maker in the pros. The ability to slither through traffic and make people miss is just as impactful as pure speed. And if Mellott can translate that from his Montana State to Las Vegas, the Raiders — particularly McMahon — have a weapon on special teams.

While the comparisons to former New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman are apt — a college quarterback who converted into a wide receiver and had a long and productive NFL career — for Mellott, development at the next level has him potentially seeing a career path carved by former Raider Ronald Curry. An athletic North Carolina quarterback taken in the seventh round of the 2002 draft by Davis, Curry became a reliable receiver in Year 3 in Oakland.

Mellot’s presence in the wide receiver room along with drafting Tennessee’s Dont’e Thornton Jr. in the fourth round of the draft not only bolsters the pure-speed aspect of the position group in Las Vegas, but it can open up opportunities to use Tre Tucker more on special teams.

Tucker, who served as WR2 in his second year in the league, was the lone fleet-footed wideout for the Raiders last season. He’s shorter at 5-foot-9 but isn’t light at a muscular 185 pounds, and saw statistical improvement from rookie season to Year 2 (47 catches for 539 yards and three touchdowns on 81 targets in 17 games played).

With Mellott and Thornton (an imposing 6-foot-5 and 205 pounds with 4.30-flat speed) in the mix now, Las Vegas has more than one speedster. The much needed redundancy should allow the Raiders to dabble Tucker more on the special teams side of things (he has eight punt returns in his career, all coming in 2024).

As seen above, Tucker was a productive kick returner during his collegiate career with the Cincinnati Bearcats (67 total returns for 1,670 yard and two touchdowns from 2019-22).

Other Potentials

Dylan Laube, running back. The second-year tailback returned six kicks in 2024 for 164 yards (a long of 59) his rookie year. Expect the sixth-round choice (208th overall) to get opportunities to become a special teams mainstay as the running back room was bolstered with the selection of Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty sixth overall in the 2025 draft.

Chris Collier, running back. The late season flier add returned two kicks for 65 yards (long of 39) in 2024 for Las Vegas. The undrafted free agent’s career thus far is relegated to special teams and it’s likely to remain that way.

Kyle Phillips, wide receiver. The fifth-round pick (163rd overall) of the 2022 draft, Phillips as UCLA’s return man and dabbled in it with the Tennessee Titans (nine punt returns for 85 yards, long of 46). He’s a shifty receiver with 4.58 speed.

Key’shawn Smith, wide receiver. The undrafted free agent was an impact kick returner for Miami in 2022 (21 returns for 640 yards and a touchdown) but trailed off as his collegiate career went to SMU. He’s a longshot who could open eyes as a return man.

Shedrick Jackson, wide receiver. This is purely based on wideout’s 4.25 40 at Maryland’s pro day. Jackson didn’t field a punt or return a kick in his college career. And as a roster longshot, he’ll need to impress anyway he can, like on special teams.

Dont’e Thornton, wide receiver. He didn’t play much on special teams in college, but to maximize his roster chances, special teams work in Las Vegas is a must. He’s got the speed and acceleration to make an impact, and it’d be interesting to see a massive return man.