Why one QB authority ranks Kellen Mond ahead of Justin Fields and Trey Lance

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article_body => "Many Washington fans are resorting to whatever rituals they have in their repertoire as they continue to hope that Justin Fields or Trey Lance will somehow fall into the Burgundy and Gold's range in the 2021 NFL Draft.<\/p>\r\n\r\nNBC analyst and quarterback evaluator Chris Simms, however, has a less-heralded prospect ranked ahead of both of those oft-discussed throwers.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\"I am a big believer in Kellen Mond,\" Simms told the BMitch & Finlay show in a Wednesday interview on 106.7 The Fan.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\"To me, some of the issues he has, which is really, 'OK, he doesn't play enough backyard football and maybe he wasn't aggressive enough two years ago with some of his decision-making,'\" Simms said. \"Those are easy fixes as compared to some of the issues that I look at with Justin Fields and Trey Lance.\"<\/p>\r\n\r\nMond, the Texas A&M product, is viewed by most as someone worthy of a Day 2 selection. Yet, Simms revealed he believes those inside the league are drawn more to Mond's talents than those outside of it, and he wouldn't be surprised if the signal-caller heard his name called toward the back end of the first round. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\"I just look at Kellen Mond and I go, 'His film is every bit as good or better than [2019 6th overall pick] Daniel Jones,'\" Simms said. \"It's not even close between [2020 26th overall pick Jordan Love] and Kellen Mond.\"<\/p>\r\n\r\nAmong the things that Simms likes so much about Mond are the QB's \"special\" arm, the variety of ways he knows how to use that arm \u2014 he can up his velocity to fit a ball into a tight space, for instance, or increase the touch in order to float one over the top \u2014 and how quickly he's able to get his attempts off. <\/p>\r\n\r\nSimms also noted that Mond's supporting cast in college was far less talented than that of his fellow peers like Fields, Mac Jones or Kyle Trask.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\"They won a lot of those games because of the way he played quarterback,\" Simms said about the Aggies and their starter.<\/p>\r\n\r\nNow, even with how much Simms values Mond's production at school and his potential in the NFL, it's difficult to imagine Washington nabbing him 19th overall. The draft is largely about finding the best value and there wouldn't be much value in that move. <\/p>\r\n\r\nHowever, if Washington wants to trade back in the first round on Thursday night, or if they see that Mond is still around when they're on the clock on Friday evening in the 52nd slot, those could be prime places to grab him.<\/p>\r\n\r\nUntil then, Simms will keep wondering why others don't notice what he does when he studies Mond's tape.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\"I don't get it,\" he said.<\/p>\r\n"
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Many Washington fans are resorting to whatever rituals they have in their repertoire as they continue to hope that Justin Fields or Trey Lance will somehow fall into the Burgundy and Gold's range in the 2021 NFL Draft.

NBC analyst and quarterback evaluator Chris Simms, however, has a less-heralded prospect ranked ahead of both of those oft-discussed throwers.

"I am a big believer in Kellen Mond," Simms told the BMitch & Finlay show in a Wednesday interview on 106.7 The Fan.

"To me, some of the issues he has, which is really, 'OK, he doesn't play enough backyard football and maybe he wasn't aggressive enough two years ago with some of his decision-making,'" Simms said. "Those are easy fixes as compared to some of the issues that I look at with Justin Fields and Trey Lance."

Mond, the Texas A&M product, is viewed by most as someone worthy of a Day 2 selection. Yet, Simms revealed he believes those inside the league are drawn more to Mond's talents than those outside of it, and he wouldn't be surprised if the signal-caller heard his name called toward the back end of the first round.

"I just look at Kellen Mond and I go, 'His film is every bit as good or better than [2019 6th overall pick] Daniel Jones,'" Simms said. "It's not even close between [2020 26th overall pick Jordan Love] and Kellen Mond."

Among the things that Simms likes so much about Mond are the QB's "special" arm, the variety of ways he knows how to use that arm — he can up his velocity to fit a ball into a tight space, for instance, or increase the touch in order to float one over the top — and how quickly he's able to get his attempts off.

Simms also noted that Mond's supporting cast in college was far less talented than that of his fellow peers like Fields, Mac Jones or Kyle Trask.

"They won a lot of those games because of the way he played quarterback," Simms said about the Aggies and their starter.

Now, even with how much Simms values Mond's production at school and his potential in the NFL, it's difficult to imagine Washington nabbing him 19th overall. The draft is largely about finding the best value and there wouldn't be much value in that move.

However, if Washington wants to trade back in the first round on Thursday night, or if they see that Mond is still around when they're on the clock on Friday evening in the 52nd slot, those could be prime places to grab him.

Until then, Simms will keep wondering why others don't notice what he does when he studies Mond's tape.

"I don't get it," he said.