Eight years ago today, the New Orleans Saints made what at the time felt like a fairly inconsequential roster move, claiming undrafted quarterback Taysom Hill from waivers and signing him to their practice squad ahead of the 2017 NFL season. Hill would go on to become one of the most unique and polarizing players in the league, someone who was capable of starting at quarterback, tight end or fullback depending on where he was needed.
On September 2, 2025, the Saints made another a roster move that feels inconsequential on the surface, however, given the success they had with a move such as this one eight years prior, it naturally is eliciting thoughts of Taysom Hill once again. New Orleans added former Montana State quarterback Tommy Mellott to their practice squad after the 2025 6th Round pick was a cut-day casualty of the Las Vegas Raiders.
Mellott, who was named the 2024 Walter Payton Award Winner — given to the best FCS player in the nation — after an outstanding season in which Montana State went 15-1 and lost in the FCS Championship Game, was selected by the Raiders with the 212th pick in the NFL Draft not as a quarterback, but as a wide receiver.
Understandably, a former quarterback who was converted to a pass-catcher being added to the Saints practice squad would cause fans to wonder if this is Taysom Hill 2.0. And although Mellott and Hill are vastly different players with much different body types — Mellott is 5-foot-11, 206 lbs. while Hill entered the NFL at 6-foot-1, 230 lbs. — the unique skillset of “Touchdown Tommy” is enough to give fans reason to believe that the Saints have found another diamond in the rough.
Who is Tommy Mellott?
Let’s start here… Tommy Mellott is not someone who is going to make an immediate impact for the New Orleans Saints. Just because that’s the case, it doesn’t mean Saints fans should feel foolish for having their curiosity piqued by what Mellott could become. Remember, Taysom Hill wasn’t elevated to the main roster until December of his rookie season and then appeared sporadically in his next two seasons before becoming a bigger part of the Saints offense in 2020.
Despite being named Montana’s Gatorade Player of the Year as a quarterback during his senior high school season, Tommy Mellott spent his first season with the Bobcats as a wide receiver and special teams performer before being named the team’s starting quarterback before the 2021 FCS Playoffs began. The redshirt freshman led the Bobcats all the way to the FCS Championship Game.
Over four years, Mellott would start 41 games at quarterback and earn a 33-8 record. In addition to over 6,000 passing yards and 55 passing touchdowns, Mellott added 3,517 yards and 43 touchdowns on the ground. But when it was time to enter the NFL Draft, Mellott converted to wide receiver, blazed a 4.39 40-yard dash and exploded for a 41-inch vertical at his pro day, and had the Raiders calling on Day 3 of the NFL Draft.
Like many 6th Round picks, things didn’t pan out for Mellott with the team that drafted him. After the Raiders made the decision to cut Mellott, general manager John Spytek explained why the undersized weapon didn’t make the 53-man roster.
“I have a lot of respect for Tommy, and there was a lot of hard decisions that we made the last couple of days. Ultimately, our responsibility, coach (Carroll) and myself, is to put the best 53, and then 17 after that, to get ready to win football games,” Spytek told reporters. “There’s always a development part of that, too. But there’s a reality, sometimes, that who is most ready, and who is furthest along and who can help this team win the most.”
The Saints likely won’t be doing much winning during the 2025 season anyway, so they can afford to slow-play Mellott’s development in the off-chance that in a couple of years from now, he’s ready to emerge as a do-it-all playmaker akin to Taysom Hill.
“My entire career in college, to be honest with you, has kind of been a do-it-all individual,” Mellott said back in May after he was selected by the Raiders. “Just a do-it-all kind of guy who’s going to obviously perfect his craft, whatever is expected of me, and do that and more.”
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