What the Vikings can expect from Kellen Mond in 2021
By Luke Parrish
Athleticism
Kellen Mond is the opposite of Kirk Cousins, which should intrigue Vikings fans. He’s a big quarterback with a powerful arm that will translate to the NFL, which is the key when drafting a developmental quarterback. He can work well in the pocket while also flashing the athletic ability to escape and make plays with his legs.
Mond is very poised in the pocket for his age. His ability to sense the pass rush and evade oncoming defenders will make him a more than serviceable backup if he is forced onto the field early on.
Arm talent
As we just alluded to, Mond has an NFL-caliber arm that can be coached into a starting-level arm in a few years. His quick release and high velocity will make him a reliable intermediate thrower that will help him find Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen over the middle. With a good offensive line potentially now in the building, Mond will be able to flash that arm down the field with clean pockets.
When he’s able to step comfortably into his throws, Mond flashes a lot of pure zip. Of all the Day 2 quarterbacks in this class, I would risk taking a chance on Mond over anyone else simply because his arm talent is better than anyone by a wide margin.
He gets the ball out quickly and he will likely be a starter in the NFL at some point down the road. If he can sit and learn behind Cousins, Mond has the raw tools to take over at quarterback when Kirk’s contract is up.
But this is certainly a project pick for Minnesota and they should not expect Mond to be an impact player any time soon. There is still a lot to work on for Mond as he makes the leap to the NFL.