2021 NFL draft: Breaking down Kyle Trask and other day-two QBs
A record eight quarterbacks went on the first two days of the 2021 NFL draft including Kellen Mond, Davis Mills, and Kyle Trask. Who landed in the best spot?
The 2021 NFL draft always had a historic feel to it when it came to the quarterback position. Five quarterbacks went in the first round as in the first 15 picks.
Then on Friday, there was another run on quarterbacks as three went in the span of four picks, which made it the first time in NFL history that eight quarterbacks went that early.
Tampa Bay started the run by selecting former Florida football quarterback Kyle Trask, the former long-time backup, who will now be Tom Brady’s backup with the Bucs.
Seriously though, Trask did go years without starting a game after he was a backup for most of his high school and college careers. When he did get his chance with Florida football though, he didn’t look back and became a Heisman finalist after throwing 43 touchdown passes in 2020.
Kellen Mond was never a Heisman finalist, but he is an experienced winner from his time playing for Texas A&M football. Mond played at least 10 games in all four seasons with the Aggies, throwing 71 touchdowns compared to 27 interceptions.
The biggest knock on Mond has always been his accuracy. He completed less than 60 percent of his throws in his first two seasons with Texas A&M football, although it was over 60 as an upperclassman.
Honestly, I thought there was a good chance Mond was going to get picked early in the second round. Yet, it didn’t play out that way and the Vikings might be the biggest benefactor.
Davis Mills is another quarterback that was receiving a lot of buzz leading up to the draft. Even though he’s inexperienced, he has a big arm and the talent to be a starter someday. That’s what made him too good to pass up for the Texans early in the third round, who might suddenly need a long-term replacement for Deshaun Watson.
The harsh reality is that few non-first-round quarterbacks become stars. Russell Wilson and Dak Prescott are the most recent examples. And while Tom Brady was a late-round pick, that was luck more than anything.
So looking at all three quarterbacks taken on day two: Trask, Mond, and Mills — who landed in the best spot? We look at each QB pick here, starting with Trask.
Kyle Trask made sense for TB12 and Tampa Bay
The Bucs probably learned a lesson from the Packers and while they drafted a quarterback who could play in the future, Trask is also the perfect backup. He was a backup in high school, a backup in college and while he’s a competitor, he won’t ruffle feathers in that role.
In fact, he’s probably the perfect guy to bring in behind Brady. Lots of folks tried to connect him to New Orleans, but the Saints passed on him.
Trask doesn’t have an elite arm or an elite anything. He’s accurate though and he will be an upgrade at the quarterback position next season for the Bucs.
As far as being their long-term starter? It’s possible and depending on how long Brady plays, he might get the chance.