Mello Dotson is an underrated prospect, and the Las Vegas Raiders are looking to cash in on their undrafted free agent rookie. As OTAs continue, it looks like Dotson has a good chance to make the final 53-man roster. And he was overlooked for one reason in particular.
He’s not the most athletic corner, though his 6-foot-1 frame suggests an ideal height for the underappreciated defensive back. The Raiders have a massive need in the secondary, and he could very well become a player that makes an impact as a rookie. Undrafted prospects seldom become franchise cornerstones, but it’s not impossible.
Dotson is looking to be the next one to have an impact in the NFL. That said, his speed was probably the one reason he went undrafted and untouched until the Raiders came calling. He had a 4.59 40-yard dash, which isn’t catching most teams’ attention.
That said, in college, he was a pest to receivers — which, if that translates to the NFL, will render concerns about his speed moot. He’s probably going to be more of a zone corner rather than a man coverage corner, but that shouldn’t hinder him if his ball skills translate from college.
Las Vegas Raiders might have undrafted gem in defensive back Mello Dotson
In five seasons at Kansas, he finished with 177 total tackles, which as a defensive back isn’t something to overlook. He finds himself in the middle of the play as a corner, which is a big asset to a team, specifically in helping with run defense.
He’s also a ball hawk, snagging 12 career interceptions. While the Big 12 wasn’t particularly great, and while Kansas struggled in 2024, the fact that he made that big of an impact at the collegiate level is huge — especially when you consider a career-high five interceptions last season. He also had four interceptions returned for touchdowns in his career.
On paper, it’s hard to believe why Dotson was undrafted. I’m sure franchises aren’t keen on taking gambles on defensive backs, especially after high-end corners typically fizzle out and don’t have as much longevity as a lockdown corner their entire career. It takes time for corners to eventually reach a level of being like a Darrell Revis or Richard Sherman. Sauce Gardner is going through a similar type of ebb and flow now; he came out of Cincinnati as an elite corner and top-five pick in his draft
Gardner has just one interception in the last two seasons, and the hype around him out of college has died down a bit. It’s more of a risk to get a defensive back early in the draft than not. Maybe that’s why Dotson ended up being undrafted.
But that mistake could end up being the Raiders’ gain as they need an elite defensive back to help their secondary. It’s still early and until the preseason, it’s probably not likely he’s a lock right now. That could change though, and if it does, it shouldn’t be a surprise based off how efficient he was in college.