2021 Draft Scouting Report: Texas A&M QB Kellen Mond
With the 2021 NFL Draft just two weeks away, we examine some of the prospects who could be of interest to the New England Patriots.
In this scouting report, we take a closer look at Kellen Mond, a quarterback from Texas A&M University.
Measurables:
Height: 6'2" (1.88m)
Weight: 205lbs (92.98kg)
Age: 21
Prospect Breakdown:
Mental Intangibles (Reads, IQ, Leadership, Poise, Clutch, etc): 6.5/10- Mond has the poise, the leadership, some clutch and strong performances down the stretch. So, why is he a 6.5 for mental intangibles? He needs to prove more in regards to football IQ. Which can obviously be developed overtime, but doesn't impress now.
Arm Strength: 8/10- Possesses some eye-popping arm strength on tape, although it does naturally teeter off in deeper portions of the field. He can really throw some fastballs in the short to intermediate areas, even showing strong velocity on far-hash throws.
Running Accuracy: 8/10- A quarterback who is strong on the run, making off-platform throws, and extending the play. With athleticism, arm strength, and some fine touch, he can deliver an accurate ball on the run.
Short Accuracy: 8/10- Mond makes a living in this area of the field. He can attack the short areas pretty proficiently and deliver some quick and accurate balls. Just need some more consistency for accuracy in general.
Medium Accuracy: 7/10- He also finds success from mid-range here. His accuracy on intermediate throws can be very good, but the ball placement cannot always be relied on.
Deep Accuracy: 6/10- Showed flashes deep, but didn't really attempt too many deep passes. This was likely a result of reduced arm strength in this area of the field, along with some concerns along the offensive line that likely didn't allow for too many deep opportunities.
Release (quickness, height): 6/10- A high, snappy release that looks to have some stiffness in his elbow. Its quickness is rather average on relatively unpressured on-platform throws.
Mechanics/Footwork: 6/10- One of Mond's biggest issues that without correcting will lead to timing issues in the pros. His footwork can disrupt offensive rhythm and lead to major inconsistencies from a quarterback who has a laser arm, but leaves much to be desired.
Anticipation: 7/10- He demonstrates good anticipation on film. Some of his best throws on tape were with excellent anticipation and touch. But he needs some more consistency here.
Size: 6.5/10- Mond looks taller than his 6-2, 205-pound frame. He also appears rather thin and lean for the position. Mond did get nicked up from time to time from taking so many hard hits to his frame, yet no major injury concerns that we know of.
Decision Making: 5/10- Mond can make some real head-scratching decisions, to say the least. While his decision-making has seen some improvement over the course of his college career, it's nowhere near where it needs to be yet. Too many instances on film that just make your head shake.
Against Pressure: 9/10- Normally, quarterbacks with spotty, inconsistent decision-making don't fare so well against pressure, but this is one of Mond's fortes. His poise is phenomenal with defenders in his face. He can still pull off marvelous throws with an army in pursuit.
Pre-Snap Reads: 7/10- Texas A&M frequently asked him to make half-field reads, although he is capable of reading the full field. He also demonstrated ability to identify blitzers pre-snap and then properly attack the blitz through the air.
Athleticism: 8/10- An athletic quarterback who can certainly move on his feet and make some great throws. Feels like Mond could use his athleticism even more at times.
Draft Grade: 3rd round
Fit with the Patriots:
Mond is a player who is going to need to develop, hence the third-round grade. While he can make some incredible throws and there is a good deal to get excited over, there's by no means a whole lot of confidence that he can clean up these mistakes and blossom into a starter. That means Mond likely would be part of a three-headed QB room with Cam Newton and Jarrett Stidham to begin the season.
Bringing in another quarterback to compete with Stidham and nudge Newton a little bit is a fine, justifiable thing to do. However, it doesn't change anything in the search for the next franchise quarterback. In a league that is so frequently dependent on having a top 10 quarterback to win, the room of Mond, Stidham and Newton would all fall far from that tree, even at maybe each of their respective highest potentials.
Mond is a player who offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels has reportedly been in contact with ever since their first meeting at the Reese's Senior Bowl. That would make sense with some great arm talent that rarely sniffs the round he will get drafted in. However, as for the fit, assuming the McDaniels' rumor was true, heavy interest in Mond likely would indicate that the New England Patriots are looking to stray even further from their traditional Tom Brady, timing, pocket-passing Erhardt-Perkins offense. With question marks about Mond's footwork and sometimes outright horrendous decision-making and reads of the field, his inconsistencies in this offense could almost mirror some of what we saw from a struggling Newton in 2020.
With Mond working almost exclusively from the shotgun in college, and his willingness to test areas of the field and different scenarios in coverage that shouldn't be tested in the NFL, add those to the growing list of ways in which he likely wouldn't be that great of a fit here. While there is a flip side, as he is a very well-rehearsed short and intermediate thrower with a big arm to test deep on occasion (textbook definition of Erhardt-Perkins offense), along with displays of great poise under pressure and great anticipation as well. Despite this, the draft selection of Mond would maybe make Stidham grip the ball a little harder, however pose a minimal threat to Newton or any other potential starter.
