2021 NFL Draft: Kellen Mond is the best mid-round quarterback prospect

In the 2021 NFL Draft, there is a lot of talent at the position that is most valued, quarterback. This class has one of the most highly-rated prospects in Trevor Lawernce, a highly talked about passer in Justin Fields, two very talented quarterbacks from smaller schools in Zach Wilson and Trey Lance, and the not-so flashy, but productive Mac Jones. The class is rounded out the guys you will most likely see go in the first round.

It seems very likely that at least four of the quarterbacks mentioned above will go in the top ten of the 2021 NFL Draft and could be a deep first round of guys. Although the depth of this class does not end after the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft.

Kellen Mond, a quarterback out of Texas A&M, is a guy who should be getting more attention than he is this draft season. In his senior year, Mond threw for 2,282 yards, 19 touchdowns, and only tossed thre interceptions. Now is Mond a first-round caliber player? The answer is simply no. However, he has the tools and abilities to be a nice project for a team that may not need the immediate starter, but a potential future starting option at the position.

Standing at an ideal size for a quarterback at 6-foot 3 inches and weighing around 220 pounds, Mond has nice arm strength and the mobility that many teams look for in a quarterback. Mond has shown during his time at Texas A&M that he can make tight-window throws and has great placement with his throws.

Go back and watch the Alabama game from this past season and you see Mond hit right on the mark on highly contested throws throughout the game. A skill many young quarterbacks struggle with, Mond made look effortless against a top-tier opponent in Alabama. Even though his mechanics can seem tight, Mond used those mechanics all year to make tight throws in coverage.

A reason why Kellen Mond doesn’t get the same attention as other guys do in the 2021 NFL Draft class could be the system he was in at Texas A&M. At times, the scheme they ran could be predictable and make Mond seem to be a system quarterback. This can be the case for many prospects coming out of college, as that question was raised with Tua Tugavolia and is being asked about Mac Jones as well.

Mond displays steller athleticism and the ability to move inside and outside the pocket. Even though it might come foreign at first, Mond has the ability to avoid pressure with his legs, stay strong and make throws in the pocket when it collapses, and has very good arm strength and placement to complete passes at an NFL level of play.

One area that Kellen Mond undoubtedly needs to work on is decision-making. Mond tends to fall in love with his first read. He does not read through his progressions well and tends to lock on to his primary target whether the player works his way open or not.

Kellen Mond is definitely not a name you will hear early in the 2021 NFL Draft, although he is gaining some respect in the draft world. NFL analyst Chris Simms has Mond ranked as the fourth-best quarterback in the 2021 NFL Draft class. If the five guys mentioned early all go in the first round, there is a good chance Kellen Mond will be the first quarterback taken off the board on the second day of the 2021 NFL Draft.