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    Where Does Kellen Mond Rank Among the SEC Quarterbacks?

    Where does Kellen Mond rank among the SEC quarterbacks in 2020?
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    COLLEGE STATION - The quarterback class April's will feature plenty of pocket passers from the SEC. With the likes of LSU's Joe Burrow, Alabama's Tua Tagovailoa and Georgia's Jake Fromm leading the charge, all three could be high-quality starters for NFL franchises in the future.

    Now the future turns back to the conference for the 2020 season. Teams live and die by quarterback play and that could be the case to see who represents each division down in Atlanta next December. Every team will have to see where their issues lie under center and how they can improve if they hope for a chance to make the College Football Playoff.

    Texas A&M could be in good hands behind the likes of Kellen Mond. The rising senior has started for nearly three full seasons and will have a veteran offensive line returning for the start of the decade. While his struggles could derail the team, a successful final season could have him looking like a future top selection in the NFL Draft come 2021.

    With six quarterbacks leaving the conference, is Mond the top man? Could there be other quarterbacks with a better track record? Let's look back at 2019 and see who are the top signal-callers entering the 2020 season.

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    1. Kyle Trask, Florida

    After suffering a season-ending ankle injury, Florida could have folded without Feleipe Franks. Instead, the team turned to Trask and the native Houstonian delivered. The junior finished second in the conference with 2,941 passing yards, 25 touchdowns and a 66.9% completion rating. With Fromm leaving for the NFL, the Gators could make the jump in Year 3 under Dan Mullen to be the leading contender in the SEC East title so long as Trask is calling the shots.

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    2. Kellen Mond, Texas A&M

    Mond could be the top quarterback in the conference next season depending on his stat line. He also could be the biggest disappointment if 2019 showed anything of his future. Despite finishing third in the SEC in passing yards, he struggled to find any success away from Kyle Field. After starting 34 career games, Mond will be the SEC's most-experienced play-caller. Will he live up to that calling? If so, the Aggies should be legitimate contenders in the SEC West.

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    3. Bo Nix, Auburn

    Nix came with mixed results during his first season, but then again, he made the most as a freshman in the SEC. Relying more on his legs than his arm, the Auburn gunslinger rushed for 313 yards and seven touchdowns while throwing for over 200 yards in just four games. Still, a 9-4 record as a freshman and Newcomer of the Year honors speaks volumes to his potential. Hopefully with Chad Morris as the offensive coordinator, Nix can be more balanced and make the jump to legitimate dual-threat quarterback for the Tigers' offense.

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    4. Jamie Newman, Georgia

    Georgia lost their quarterback to the draft but might have found their new one in the transfer portal. Newman elected to join Kirby Smart's staff following the departure of Fromm last weekend. The graduate transfer had a successful stint with Wake Forest in 2019, collecting over 2,800 passing yards and 32 total touchdowns on the way to an 8-5 season. While Newman will need to win the job, he's the most experienced quarterback in Georgia's locker room and has the dual-threat capability to succeed. He could keep the Buldogs in contention with Florida for the SEC East with a strong start.

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    5. Ryan Hilinski, South Carolina

    The great news for Hilinski is there's plenty of time to grow. The freshman was thrust into the starting role by Week 2 following the season-ending injury to Jake Bentley. Hilinski has the potential to be a quality quarterback after throwing for 2,357 yards and 11 touchdowns against five interceptions. Although a 4-8 season looks dreadful, all can't be blamed on the quarterback. Surrounded by a more experienced locker room, Hilinski could be the man to bring Will Muschamp out of the SEC cellar.

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    6. Mac Jones, Alabama

    One thing you can never do is count out Alabama. Granted, while the team did lose two games in a season for the first time since 2014, Jones delivered for the injured Tagovailoa. Going 3-1 as the full-time starter, the sophomore threw for 1,503 yards, 14 touchdowns and three interceptions. With the likes of Tua's little brother and five-star Bryce Young in the mix, perhaps Jones isn't the long-term starter. Still, he's shown enough to be given a fair fight leading up to USC in Arlington.

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    7. Jarrett Guarantano, Tennessee

    Guarantano might not be the starting quarterback for the Vols next season. Perhaps he will after the success in the second half of 2019. Who's to say at this point. After a struggling start and benching, Guarantano would return midseason to help Tennessee win seven of their last eight games, including a Gator Bowl victory over Indiana. Throwing for 2,158 yards and 16 touchdowns, he'll need to limit his turnovers this spring to be the guy under center in 2020.

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    8. Garrett Shrader, Mississippi State

    Shrader could be out of a job with a new head coach. For now, perhaps Mississippi State brought in Mike Leach to add another element to his game. As a freshman, Shrader spilt starts with Tommy Stevens, looking like the superior quarterbacks due to his legs. He would throw for just under 1,200 yards and eight touchdowns. Now a the projected starter, perhaps his 587 rushing yards could double like his arm in a new offensive formation. That, or he could be benched.

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    9. Terry Wilson, Kentucky

    Wilson suffered a season-ending leg injury in Week 2 against Eastern Michigan. Last season, he instrumented the first 10-win season for the program since 1977, throwing for over 1,700 yards and scoring 15 total touchdowns. There's plenty of questions marks heading into his 2020 campaign, but he's proven he can win with the proper weapons. That at least says something.

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    10. John Rhys Plumlee, Ole Miss

    Much like Shrader, a new coach could go in a different direction. Lane Kiffin could have a blessing with two versatile quarterbacks, but Rhys Plumlee offers more on the ground. A wildcat quarterback, the freshman did little with his arm, but rushed for over 1,000 yards and was top 10 in the conference in rushing yards. Let's see if Kiffin can mold his arm into something, but for now, he's a running quarterback only. That won't last a full 12-game season.

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    Teams without existing starting quarterbacks: Arkansas, LSU, Missouri, Vanderbilt 

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