In September, it appeared that the Houston Texans had their franchise quarterback for the next five years. Deshaun Watson had just signed a four-year contract extension worth $156 million. Seven months later, Watson’s tenure with the Texans seems to be coming to a premature end amid a trade request and legal woes.
With the 2021 NFL Draft nine days away, the Texans have several positions they need to fill with eight selections starting in the third round. And with the ongoing uncertainty surrounding the Texans under center, Houston could select Texas A&M quarterback Kellen Mond with their 67th overall pick to help fill in the potential void left by Watson, according to John McClain of the Houston Chronicle.
“They have two other quarterbacks [Tyrod Taylor and Ryan Finley], and I think they will draft one or sign another veteran,” McClain said on Sports Radio 610’s In The Loop on Tuesday. “I believe when they pick in the third round — and we talked about this last week with Kellen Mond — if one of these quarterbacks are there that he [Nick Caserio] likes, I can see him drafting a quarterback and giving him a chance. If it doesn’t work out, then next year they will have their picks.”
Mond may not be ranked as high as his contemporaries Trevor Lawrence and Justin Fields, but he remains one of the most intriguing prospects ahead of the draft. His arm strength gives him a ton of upsides to finding success on the NFL level, in addition to being one of the prototypical dual-threat quarterbacks of 2021.
If the 21-year-old San Antonio native continues his career in the Lone Star State, Mond will not be the Texans’ starting quarterback come Week 1 of the 2021 NFL season. That honor would likely go to Taylor should Watson no longer suit up for Houston.
Mond will be a project quarterback regardless of the team selecting him during the draft. And with the Texans on the verge of a rebuild, Houston would be the perfect place for Mond to redshirt his rookie year learning the NFL level with QB coach Pep Hamilton.
Mond will likely fall Day 2 of the draft, but there is a high possibility that the Aggie alumnus will be off the board by the time the Texans make their selection in the third round. Could the potential pursuit of Mond be one of the options that convince Caserio to move up in the draft?
If Mond is no longer available for the Texans, McClain said he could also see Houston selecting quarterbacks Kyle Trask (Florida) or Davis Mills (Stanford) with their first pick of the draft.
While appearing in 10 games for the Aggies, Mond threw for 2,282 yards and 19 touchdowns during his senior season at Texas A&M. He ended his four-year career at A&M with 9,661 passing yards and 71 touchdowns, while completing 59% of his passes.
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