Of all the talk about quarterbacks in this year’s NFL Draft, Texas A&M’s Kellen Mond appears to be down a few notches from the cream of the crop. But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have value. In fact, he’s caught the eye of at least one talent evaluator.

“There’s upside there,” one longtime NFC scout told ESPN. “If anything I would have liked to see him let loose a little more.”

It’s difficult to find a quarterback with as much longevity and production entering the NFL than Mond. Mond helped A&M win 32 games on his way to a school-record 9,661 passing yards with 71 touchdowns and 27 interceptions. Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher told ESPN that he’s had extensive talks with about 10-to-15 teams about the four-year starter. Those teams value his experience and ability to lead and win games, Fisher said.

“He does all of the things you need to judge a first-round player,” said Fisher, who has coached Mond since 2018. “He helped change the culture — winning more games, taking a stand, showing he’s a guy who can fight through adversity, took criticism, eliminated any distractions and continued to get better.”

The scouting report on Mond notes that he has plenty of arm and athleticism but probably looked for the check down too often. Scouts believe he can go vertical and play less conservative. Fisher said Mond’s biggest area for improvement is timing on intermediate throws, but he’s come a long way there. Fisher adds he gave Mond all the responsibility a quarterback could handle, from setting protections to audibles to deciphering third and fourth reads post-snap.

Mond is believed to be on the next tier of quarterbacks in the draft alongside Florida’s Kyle Trask and Stanford’s Davis Mills.

“He’s vastly improved every year,” Fisher said. “Look at the body of work, the competition he’s played against. He really worked his mechanics, has done a great job with his body, his core footwork and balance – that allows him to be so much more efficient. He studies the game, learns very well – an intelligent young man, understands concepts and attacks coverage. He started having fun with it once he grabbed a hold of the offense, where he was the first one on the plane breaking down film with me after a game.”