The Texas A&M Football team is a program that almost always sends a handful of players to the NFL. The trend would continue this year. After the Aggies’ best season in nearly a century, they gained some extra attention in this year’s draft.
The Aggies’ finished 9-1 in a shortened season, capped off by an Orange Bowl victory over a top-15 North Carolina team. They wouldn’t have a chance to play in the SEC Championship Game but will look to make a push in that direction in 2021.
But their strong season was good enough to keep the program well represented in the NFL draft, allowing teams a chance to pick up some elite college football players.
Where was each Texas A&M Football player taken in the draft?
The Aggies had four players drafted, each in the fourth round or earlier in the 2021 NFL Draft.
The team saw both offensive and defensive players drafted, with the most common position group being the offensive line. The Aggies’ offensive line was among the best in the country last season, with one player being drafted and three more being picked up by teams after the draft.
This year, Kellen Mond was the first player to be drafted. He would be taken early in the third round before a trio of Aggies were taken in the fourth round, two to the same team.
He would be followed up by Bobby Brown III, Dan Moore Jr., and Buddy Johnson, all of whom went in the fourth round.
But were these good picks? Today, I’ll grade each Aggie’s selection into the league.
These former Texas A&M Football players were among the first selected
QB Kellen Mond, 66th pick to the Pittsburgh Steelers: With the 66th pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers picked up Kellen Mond, who could eventually step into a starting role after Ben Roethlisberger’s approaching retirement. Mond may have to sit for a year or two, but this is an ideal landing spot for him.
For the Steelers, they may have gotten the steal of the draft in Mond, a player who has no glaring weaknesses but was still left out of the top group of quarterbacks. Mond is a mobile quarterback, but sticks to the pocket if possible, only running the ball when it is totally necessary. He’ll be a perfect fit for an NFL that is moving further toward this playstyle. This was a great pick by the Steelers.
Grade: A-
DT Bobby Brown III, 117th pick to the Los Angeles Rams: Bobby Brown III was a key part of a Texas A&M defensive unit that specialized in stopping the run. He has size, plays smart, and enough athleticism to fit in immediately at the next level.
This was a great pick for the Los Angeles Rams, who needed depth on the defensive line after a pair of departures on the interior. The Rams starting the draft poorly, reaching for a couple of players that they didn’t necessarily need. They almost made up for their rough start by picking up Brown, who could receive instant playing time in 2021.
Grade: A+
The Texas A&M Football team saw two players drafted to the Pittsburgh Steelers
OT Dan Moore Jr., 128th pick to the Pittsburgh Steelers: Dan Moore Jr. was arguably the best offensive lineman on a unit that was a finalist for the Joe Moore Award, given to the best offensive line in the country. He’s big, stays disciplined as a blocker, and is always searching for the next block.
That said, the Steelers needed a few offensive linemen in this draft and they may have waited a bit too long to start drafting them. After taking Kendrick Green, a center out of Illinois, they’d pick up Dan Moore Jr. in the fourth round. In time, he could step into a starting role, but for now, he’ll be on the bench. This was a solid pick for the Steelers, but nothing to phone home about.
Grade: B+
LB Buddy Johnson, 140th pick to the Pittsburgh Steelers: Buddy Johnson was a player who could have easily been drafted a couple of rounds earlier. The fact that he slipped all the way to the fourth round seems suspicious, as he was the leader of a strong Aggies defensive unit in two consecutive seasons.
I hate to keep giving such high grades to each pick, but this was an excellent pickup by the Steelers. Even though they probably weren’t planning on taking a linebacker this early, it was hard to pass up Johnson in this stage of the draft. He has the size, athleticism, and pass coverage capabilities to fit in immediately at the next level.
Grade: A+