Patrick Mulranen
NFL players rarely switch from offense to defense.
But Bo Melton, a 2017 Cedar Creek High School graduate and former Rutgers University standout wide receiver, doing just that with the Green Bay Packers.
Melton played wide receiver for the Packers the last two seasons. However, the 26-year-old recently made the switch to cornerback.
Green Bay has a crowded wide receiver depth chart with players like Romeo Doubs, Christian Watson, Jayden Reed, Dontayvion Wicks, Mecole Hardman, Matthew Golden and Savion Williams all in the picture.
Since it could be difficult to make the final roster with such a strong group of wide receivers, and because the Packers need more depth at cornerback, especially after the release of Jaire Alexander, Melton agreed to make the transition, according to Yahoo Sports.
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Great job by the Packers WR/DB Bo Melton (19) playing a Slant from the Colts. pic.twitter.com/RRqGyztRo0
— Cody Alexander (@The_Coach_A) August 20, 2025
Teams have to make cuts to get down to from 90 players to a 53-man rosters by 4 p.m. Tuesday.
Melton, who led Cedar Creek to the 2015 South Jersey Group II championship as a junior, played cornerback in high school. A first-team Press All-Star as a senior, he intercepted four passes and made 36 solo tackles. He then played almost exclusively at wide receiver at Rutgers, where he finished as one of the top wideouts in program history.
His younger brother, 2020 Cedar Creek graduate Max Melton, plays cornerback for the Arizona Cardinals. Max played the position at Rutgers and was selected by the Cardinals in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Last season, he started three games but played in all 17 and made 51 tackles.
Bo has switched from No. 80 to 16, the same jersey number Max wears.
As promised, Bo Melton working with the CBs as training camp gets underway.
He’s wearing his brother’s college number. Bo’s college number - 18 - is worn by Malik Heath. pic.twitter.com/JCYNnaI2D8
— Weston Hodkiewicz (@WesHod) July 23, 2025
The Cardinals’ have lost cornerbacks Sean Murphy-Bunting and Starling Thomas V to season-ending injuries, so Max will have an opportunity to climb up the depth chart before their season starts Sept. 7 at the New Orleans Saints.
Melton is listed as one of the starters on the Cardinals’ depth chart.
Here is the list of other local players in the NFL:
Isiah Pacheco, RB,
Kansas City ChiefsThe Vineland High School graduate and former Rutgers star running back was expected to have a strong 2024 season with the Chiefs.
Pacheco rushed for 830 yards with five touchdowns as a rookie in 2022 and 935 yards with seven scores in 2023. He helped the Chiefs win back-to-back Super Bowls.
However, he sustained a fractured fibula in the Chiefs’ Week 2 game last season against the Cincinnati Bengals. He returned in Week 12 and finished the season with 310 yards and a TD. He played in the Chiefs’ third straight Super Bowl, a 40-22 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Until the injury, Pacheco had delivered more production than would be expected from a seventh-round pick (selected 251st in the 2022 draft). However, Pacheco is reportedly at full strength as he enters the final season of his rookie deal.
The 26-year-old is the Chiefs’ top running back and poses a dangerous and dynamic threat when healthy.
He aims to get back to pre-injury form when Chiefs’ open their season Sept. 5 at the Los Angeles Chargers.
LeQuint Allen, RB, Jacksonville JaguarsThe 2021 Millville graduate, whom the Jaguars selected in the seventh-round of the 2025 NFL draft, has impressed Jacksonville since his arrival and is having a strong camp.
Allen is in a deep running backs room in Jacksonville, which has Travis Etienne Jr. and Tank Bigsby. But he has excelled this preseason as a pass blocker, runner, receiver and special teams player, according to the Jaguars’ site.
Allen rushed for 2,359 yards and scored 26 TDs to go with 848 receiving yards with six scores in his three-year collegiate career.
LeQuint Allen Jr. highlights feat. pass pro teach tape.
The #Jaguars RB room is deep. pic.twitter.com/aG3mvGxs5X
— Jared Feinberg (@JRodNFLDraft) August 19, 2025
As a senior, Allen led Millville to a 12-1 record and the South Jersey and South/Central Group IV regional titles. He rushed 224 times for 1,905 yards and 22 TDs. He also caught 22 passes for 305 yards and four TDs.
Allen was the Press Player of the Year that season.
Jaguars HC Liam Coen named former SU RB LeQuint Allen as one of the rookies that's impressing him the most after Friday night's scrimmage
"LeQuint Allen continues to show up in terms of just doing the right thing all the time...he plays hard, he plays fast, he made a great move… pic.twitter.com/FfM8XN5cjx
— Ashley Wenskoski (@AshleyWenskTV) August 5, 2025
Tyreem Powell, LB,
New Orleans SaintsThe 2020 Vineland graduate and former Rutgers linebacker signed as an undrafted free agent with the Saints.
He projects as an inside linebacker and is competing for a depth spot behind starters Demario Davis and Pete Werner, along with fourth-round rookie Danny , before the Saints play the Cardinals in Week 1.
Powell missed the final five games of the 2023 season after breaking his hand. During winter workouts after that campaign, he then tore his Achilles, and his status for last season was uncertain.
However, Powell returned to the field in Rutgers’ third game last fall. He finished his collegiate career with 201 tackles, including 12 for a loss and five sacks, in 43 games.
Mike Gesicki, TE, Cincinnati BengalsThe 2014 Southern Regional graduate is entering his eighth NFL season.
Originally chosen by the Miami Dolphins in the second round of the 2018 draft, he has 3,526 receiving yards with 22 TDs in seven seasons.
Gesicki played for the Dolphins from 2018-22 and was with the New England Patriots in 2023. This will be his second season with the Bengals. On a talented offense, he had 665 yards last year, the third-most in his career.
Gesicki missed the Bengals’ first two preseason games this year with a hamstring injury.
Isaiah Raikes, DT, Tennessee TitansThe St. Augustine Prep graduate signed as an undrafted free agent with the Titans after the 2025 NFL draft.
Raikes, a former Press All-Star, played for Auburn last fall after starting his career with Texas A&M. The 6-foot-1, 320-pound defensive tackle played in 11 games for the Tigers and made 15 tackles, including two for a loss.
According to the Titans’ depth chart, Raikes is listed as the third-string nose tackle. He made four tackles in the Titans’ first preseason game, a 29-7 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Solomon DeShields, LB, Indianapolis ColtsThe Millville graduate signed as an undrafted free after the 2025 draft.
DeShields started his collegiate career with Pittsburgh and wrapped it up with Texas A&M. The 6-2, 230-pound linebacker made 23 tackles in 12 games last season.
He has made four tackles in the Colts’ first two preseason games, including three in a 23-19 loss to the Packers on Aug. 16. The Colts have players like Cameron McGrone, Segun Olubi and Joe Bachi ahead of him, but DeShields has an opportunity to push the backups for his own chance at playing time.
Markquese Bell, S,
Dallas CowboysThis Bridgeton graduate was signed as an undrafted free agent out of Florida A&M in 2022.
Bell has appeared in 31 games with the Cowboys, recording 101 tackles (66 solo) and two forced fumbles, including 94 in 2023. He just had six last season in nine games, but he suffered through some injuries.
Bell signed a three-year contract extension in March worth up to $12 million, depending on his playing timel
Austin Johnson, DT, Jacksonville JaguarsThe Saint Augustine Prep and Penn State graduate was selected by the Tennessee Titans in the second round of the 2016 draft.
After playing four seasons with the Titans, he played in 33 games for the New York Giants and 23 for the Los Angeles Chargers and 15 for the Bills over the previous five seasons. The Jaguars signed him Aug. 4.
Johnson has 260 tackles (132 solo and 17 for loss) and 8.5 sacks in his career.
Abdullah Anderson, DL, free agentThe Absegami graduate was released by the Titans on May 13 and remains a free agent.
Anderson, who played at Bucknell University, signed with the Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent in 2018. Since then, he has also played for the Vikings, Packers, Falcons and Commanders.
Contact Patrick Mulranen:
609-272-7217
PMulranen@pressofac.com
Twitter @ACPressMulranen
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