Leading up to the 2021 NFL Draft starting on April 29th, we will be releasing several draft profiles of prospects who could potentially see themselves on the Pittsburgh Steelers. Next up…
Kellen Mond (Quarterback), Texas A&M, Senior
OVERVIEW:
I know I don’t need to go into detail about the Steelers’ quarterback situation. Clearly there is a lot of uncertainty surrounding who will line up under center after Ben Roethlisberger presumably leaves after the 2021 season. Of course the Steelers will address the glaring need on the offensive line and running back early in the draft, but they may be looking at a young, low risk quarterback in the later rounds to help bolster the quarterback room.
Enter, Kellen Mond from College Station, Texas.
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PROS:
A 3-year starter at Texas A&M, Mond stands at 6’3” and weighs in at roughly 217 pounds. Mond is known to have a strong arm, elite ability to escape the pocket, and a quick release. By the end of his senior year, Mond held the all-time Texas A&M records of career passing yards (9,429 yards), completions (785), and total passing touchdowns (71). Mond is considered a dual threat quarterback, which would benefit the Steelers’ new offense under Matt Canada. In a draft class with Trevor Lawrence, Justin Fields, Trey Lance, and Zach Wilson, Mond has been vastly overlooked by NFL fans. With no NFL Combine this year, Mond had to prove himself at the Senior Bowl in January and will again at the Texas A&M Pro Day on March 30th. At the Senior Bowl, Mond showed he could be an NFL quarterback. Mond passed for 173 yards, 2 touchdowns, and no interceptions that game. NFL scouts came away very impressed with Mond and his draft stock rose significantly as a result. Needless to say, Mond looks to be a dark horse in the draft with noteworthy upside potential.
CONS:
During his time in college, Mond was inconsistent in his passing. He seemed to throw predetermined passes and lacked accuracy on his throws. In addition, his footwork also needs improvement. Looking at his predetermined passing ability, there were multiple occasions in college where he’d throw into tight coverage without looking at the other, safer, options. A quarterback may be able to get away with that in the NCAA, but that is a sure way to get cut from an NFL roster. Also, although he does have great escapability, his footwork in the pocket seems to be lacking. Although he played well in the Senior Bowl, it is difficult to gauge that, as he’s been a streaky player in college. Therefore, NFL scouts assume that that may have been a slightly smaller sample size than needed for a full evaluation leading up to the draft.
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VERDICT:
Mond is not a round 1, round 2, round 3, or maybe even round 4 caliber selection. With that said however, if the Steelers already got their dream running back, offensive line depth, their JuJu Smith-Schuster replacement and Mond is there in rounds 5 or 6, I do not see why the Steelers wouldn’t give Mond a shot. Mond is definitely a wild card in how he’ll perform, but maybe Mike Tomlin, Mike Sullivan, Matt Canada, and Roethlisberger can groom him to be a reliable quarterback in Pittsburgh. Of course Mond’s Pro Day later in March is going to dictate his skill set, but I see him as being a potential sleeper in this year’s draft.
Where do you see Mond going in April? Comment below!
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