Texas A&M Football has been known to produce some strong NFL Draft prospects. That said, they don’t have a very long list of names that could be taken in this year’s draft. After a year with one of the best defenses in college football, they’ll see some guys taken in later rounds, but only one name has early-round potential.
That name is Kellen Mond.
The Aggies’ quarterback has been nothing short of excellent in his four years under center. After Johnny Manziel, TAMU fans had an adjustment period when watching Mond, but he slowly grew on a fanbase that expects nothing short of the best.
Somehow, slowly but surely, Mond has snuck his name into NFL Draft talks due to his consistency and maturity on the field.
Texas A&M Football star Kellen Mond could sneak into the first round of the NFL Draft
When the 2020 NCAA Football season wrapped up, Kellen Mond was looked at as a mid-round draft pick. Most mock drafts had him going somewhere between the fourth and fifth rounds of the 2021 NFL Draft.
But suddenly, this changed.
Mond went from a developmental backup who likely won’t see playing time for a few years to a potential first-round pick who could be an instant starter in the league. In a year where only ten teams have locked-in starters, anything could happen in this year’s NFL Draft. That said, Mond has found himself as a big name this season.
Here are 3 potential landing spots for former Texas A&M quarterback, Kellen Mond.
Texas A&M Football: Kellen Mond, Chicago Bears
Depending on his draft stock at the moment, Kellen Mond could be the Chicago Bears’ first-round pick. A few weeks ago, this may have seemed far-fetched, but this year could see more early-round quarterbacks taken than any year in the past.
The Chicago Bears have the 20th pick in the first round of the NFL Draft. They may choose to trade up and draft a quarterback, putting them ahead of Mond’s range. That said, trading up for Mitchell Trubisky a few years ago may have scarred an organization that has struggled at the quarterback position since the dawn of time.
If the Bears don’t trade up, Mond may be the best available quarterback by the time the 20th pick comes around. Chicago recently signed Andy Dalton, so if they have any intelligence remaining in upper management, they’ll jump at an opportunity to take Mond.
For KM, this could be an ideal situation. Dalton as a starter in Chicago seems like a train wreck waiting to happen, so Mond could be on a path to early playing time in the league. That said, there isn’t a much worse situation to be put into as a young passer in the league.
It would be an uphill battle for the TAMU alum, but he could capitalize on a big opportunity if he is drafted to the team in the Windy City.
Texas A&M Football: Kellen Mond, Minnesota Vikings
Speaking of the NFC North, the Minnesota Vikings could also be interested in Kellen Mond. For some unknown reason, Kirk Cousins is still the quarterback. At age 32, Cousins will likely be overtaken by a younger quarterback sometime in the near future and Mond could be that player.
Per Jim Nagy, the Vikings were in attendance to watch Kellen Mond at his Texas A&M Pro Day, so it’s clear that they have some interest in the young quarterback.
If this situation happens, Mond would not get immediate playing time in the NFL, which may be a good thing. All too often, young quarterbacks are thrown into bad situations *cough* Chicago Bears *cough* and are immediately stripped of their confidence.
The Minnesota Vikings would not be one of those situations.
Mond would have to be thrilled to be drafted by the Vikings, a team that has found a way to squeeze every ounce of success out of any quarterback that has played for them in recent years. Kirk Cousins may not be the greatest mentor in the world, but he’s a solid veteran who could teach Mond the ropes before he steps onto the field.
In my opinion, this is one of the best possible scenarios for Mond.
Texas A&M Football: Kellen Mond, Washington Football Team
Does anybody really want to play for a team called the Washington Football Team? It’s better than a racially insensitive name, but they’ve got to get on that. The Football Team is another team that doesn’t have strong plans at the quarterback position.
They were in trade rumors about Sam Darnold, but a Jets trade with the Panthers shut that down quickly. The next logical step for the Football Team here is to look into the 2021 NFL Draft and find their starter there.
While instant playing time was discussed as a negative in previous slides, Mond could find a healthy way into starting for Washington. As opposed to the Bears, the Football Team has no expectation for instant success. Mond would not be thrown into an NFL game and be expected to get wins fast.
Rather, the young prospect would be on a team with relatively non-existent expectations. He could go through normal rookie mistakes without being crucified for ruining the team’s season, as he might be with another team *cough* Chicago Bears *cough*.
If Mond is looking for instant playing time, this could be the perfect situation for him. Down the road, he would be a key piece for this franchise without weighted expectations or fear of disappearing into the depths of an NFL roster.
The Football Team has the 19th pick in the draft, so if there are no better quarterbacks available, there’s no reason that they won’t pull the trigger on Mond.