Eagles and the Quarterback Market: Kellen Mond

The experienced Texas A&M star goes under the microscope in our third profile of passers that could interest the Eagles after the trade of Carson Wentz

PHILADELPHIA - With Carson Wentz off to Indianapolis and Nate Sudfeld about to hit free agency, the Eagles will likely have only one quarterback under contract when the new league year begins on March 17.

In other words, the QB factory is low on stock.

Bodies must be added and the Eagles are intent on not just handing over the starting job to second-year player Jalen Hurts but any competition could evolve in many forms depending on what Philadelphia's real evaluation of Hurts is.

If the organization isn't sold on Hurts as a potential top-tier starter, it's “game on” at the top of April's draft with names like Justin Fields of Ohio State and Trey Lance of North Dakota State in play. If the belief is Hurts is on his way, a veteran backup on the cheaper side could be in play.

The Eagles could also go for Door No. 3.

That involves taking a QB later in the draft who could be groomed as a cost-effective backup over the next four years, you know exactly what Hurts was supposed to be for Carson Wentz.

This time, however, the Eagles will be correct to assume that Hurts won't play the shrinking violet with another signal-caller coming in, be it a top-10 selection or a developmental project.

One of the most intriguing names in the latter category is experienced Texas A&M QB Kellen Mond, who offers a somewhat similar template to Hurts from a skill-set standpoint, meaning if Nick Sirianni and Shane Steichen were forced to play Mond, wholesale changes to the offensive scheme wouldn't be needed.

KELLEN MOND

Size: 6-2, 217

Strengths: Mond was the starting QB for the Aggies for parts of four seasons so he's got extensive experience in college football's toughest conference with tremendous statistical success.

A San Antonio native, Mond is a bit on the slim side but he couples tremendous athleticism with a whip for an arm, along with tremendous touch and accuracy on the long ball.

The ball placement at the intermediate level is not as consistent as many would like but the signs are there and sharpened attention to detail could help Mond turn the corner at the next level. He's also got experience in pro-style concepts thanks to Jimbo Fisher's offensive scheme

Weaknesses: Mond has been too inconsistent when it comes to the throws that will keep an offense on the field and in rhythm. He also seems to think a little too much when it comes to his mechanics in the pocket.

As far as the modern QB who can make things happen off-schedule with arm angles and such, that’s also a work in progress as his default setting to try to flush or escape the pocket rather than climbing or sliding to gain that extra split second you often need at the professional level. 

Developmental coaching under Brian Johnson would be a big part of evaluating Mond for the Eagles.

Pro Day: TBA

The Texas A&M Pro Day isn't on the calendar just yet but Mond is the highlight for a class that led the Aggies to their best season since 1939 with a 9-1 finish and a 41-27 win over North Carolina in the Orange Bowl.

Others, like senior LB Buddy Johnson, junior DT Bobby Brown, senior C Ryan McCollum, senior WR Jhamon Ausbon (7-PFA), and senior LT Dan Moore, are in the mix to be Day 3 selections.

Mond could go as high as the third round and the traits are there to climb even a bit higher in the pre-draft process if someone falls in love. The floor is probably the fifth-round.

Notes: Mond rewrote the record book in College Station, finishing his career No. 1 in Texas A&M history in passing yards (9,661), career passing touchdowns (71), completions (801), attempts (1,358), and total offense (11,340), and matched the record for total touchdowns (93)...

The Eagles haven't selected a Texas A&M player since 1997 when DT Ed Jasper was a sixth-round pick. In the running for the best Aggies draft picks in Eagles history include K Tony Franklin (1979 third round), and LB William Thomas (1991 fourth round)...

Mond finished 13-of-25 for 173 yards and two touchdowns to win Most Valuable Player honors at the Senior Bowl last month.

"It's a huge sign of everything I've worked for," said Mond. "Obviously I've had some ups and downs during my career, but to finally come out here on a huge stage and perform the way I wanted to and execute, it was definitely huge."

-John McMullen contributes Eagles coverage for SI.com's EagleMaven and is the NFL Insider for JAKIB Media. You can listen to John every Monday and Friday on SIRIUSXM’s Tony Bruno Show with Harry Mayes, and every Tuesday and Thursday with Eytan Shander on SBNation Radio. You can reach him at jmcmullen44@gmail.com or on Twitter @JFMcMullen

Ed Kracz is the publisher of SI.com’s EagleMaven. Check out the latest Eagles news at www.SI.com/NFL/Eagles and please follow him on Twitter: @kracze.

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