SF 49ers: 7-round mock 2021 NFL Draft with only SEC players

Round 3, Pick No. 97 Overall (Compensatory): SF 49ers select quarterback Kellen Mond, Texas A&M

The Niners are going to receive a compensatory selection in Round 3 of this year’s NFL Draft after the NY Jets hired former defensive coordinator Robert Saleh to be their head coach. And while the exact spot of the pick has yet to be determined, let’s just assume it’s at No. 97 for now.

It’s looking more and more like quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is going to stay the starter in 2021. But San Francisco needs depth behind him and potentially someone who could be molded into a starter, should Jimmy G walk when his contract expires in 2023.

Texas A&M quarterback Kellen Mond isn’t anywhere close to the high-caliber signal-callers who’ll likely go early in Round 1, and Mond does have his limitations including limited field vision.

But the 2021 Reese’s Senior Bowl game MVP does have some serious upside.

In the mold of today’s dual-threat quarterbacks, the 6-foot-3, 217-pound Mond has no problem extending plays with his legs, as he rushed for nearly 800 yards and 12 touchdowns the last two years. Yet rushing isn’t his first option, and Mond will tend to do so only when it’s his last choice.

Mond’s 63.3 completion percentage and 19 touchdowns thrown against just three interceptions last year helps suggest he’s efficient with the ball, too, and the SF 49ers would finally get a solid developmentary backup right away with the long-term upside of being a solid starter.