LouisvilleCatholicSports.com

Rookie TE is third Shamrock to be active NFL player

The National Football League's New England Patriots signed undrafted rookie free agent and Trinity High School graduate Nick Melillo to a contract this week, which now gives the Shamrock program three alums on current NFL teams.

Melillo joins Rob Bironas (Tennessee Titans) and Ryan Tydlacka (Philadephia Eagles) as active Rocks in the league.

Also a University of Kentucky grad, Melillo played two seasons at wide receiver and won a pair of state championships under head coach Bob Beatty. During his senior year in 2006, Melillo started at wide receiver, made 27 receptions for 546 yards and three touchdowns,  and was named to the all district team after leading Trinity to a 41-7 win over Ryle in the Class 4A state title game.

The 6-foot-2, 226-pound Melillo joined UK as walk-on and caught 23 passes for 240 yards and one touchdown in 32 games over three seasons with the Wildcats, and is viewed as a potential practice squad player in New England where Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez have established themselves at the position and Daniel Fells (Denver Broncos) has been added as an unrestricted free agent.

Melillo's contract was a three-year deal and he is scheduled to earn base salaries of $390,000 in 2012, $480,000 in 2013 and $570,000 in 2014.