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On his third day in Minnesota, new Vikings quarterback Kellen Mond walked onto the practice fields at TCO Performance Center for the first time and got a taste for how different the NFL playbook is before hiking the ball.
"It definitely is different playing under center, and just pretty much under center almost every snap [Friday]," said Mond, the third-round pick out of Texas A&M. "Getting away from the line of scrimmage and still being able to have quick feet and time my feet up with all the different routes, that's something I just continue to work on."
Mond's NFL crash course began well before Friday, as the rookie said he spent the couple weeks after the draft watching every Vikings game from last season "multiple times" to study how quarterback Kirk Cousins operated an explosive play-action offense that averaged 8.3 yards per throw — trailing only Houston's 8.9 yards.
Mond said Cousins reached out to congratulate him after the Vikings took the developmental quarterback with the 66th overall pick, "telling me he couldn't wait to work with me. I said the same."
"He contacted me after I got drafted and we talked," Mond said. "I haven't seen him out here but coming up next week, I'm assuming he'll be here. Obviously, I watched all of his film, but I think it also will be really good to see him in person, just be able to communicate and him being a mentor, essentially, and learn from him."
Cousins, and the rest of his veteran teammates, can join the rookies voluntarily starting Monday, when Mond will already have a list of ways he would like to copy the Vikings starter.
"Watching his execution, his footwork, just how he's able to go through his reads and pretty much master the offense," Mond said. "The more I watch him, the more I'm able to mimic his footwork, his cadence, which is huge in the NFL. There's so many things I need to learn."
https://www.startribune.com/vikings-rook...600057457/
Mond has a lot to learn. My biggest concern is the taking snaps from under center. Its going to be so important to any upside potential that he gets time to LEARN without the pressure of being a #1 draft pick. This needs to be his incubation time. He's in the right place for it with Cousins locked in for 2 years.
Quote: @StickyBun said:
Mond has a lot to learn. My biggest concern is the taking snaps from under center. Its going to be so important to any upside potential that he gets time to LEARN without the pressure of being a #1 draft pick. This needs to be his incubation time. He's in the right place for it with Cousins locked in for 2 years.
Couldn't agree more. This is not a QB you want starting any time soon. With patience and a little luck he can take over a very good team in a couple of years.
Quote: @MaroonBells said:
@ StickyBun said:
Mond has a lot to learn. My biggest concern is the taking snaps from under center. Its going to be so important to any upside potential that he gets time to LEARN without the pressure of being a #1 draft pick. This needs to be his incubation time. He's in the right place for it with Cousins locked in for 2 years.
Couldn't agree more. This is not a QB you want starting any time soon. With patience and a little luck he can take over a very good team in a couple of years.
Seriously, wouldn't that be great? I know the odds are against it, but to have a Viking's drafted player come in, learn and then be a legitimate starter in the league would be such a nice change. We're all rooting for that, obviously. He seems eager to learn and soak up what Cousins has to offer from a mentoring standpoint.
Quote: @StickyBun said:
@ MaroonBells said:
@ StickyBun said:
Mond has a lot to learn. My biggest concern is the taking snaps from under center. Its going to be so important to any upside potential that he gets time to LEARN without the pressure of being a #1 draft pick. This needs to be his incubation time. He's in the right place for it with Cousins locked in for 2 years.
Couldn't agree more. This is not a QB you want starting any time soon. With patience and a little luck he can take over a very good team in a couple of years.
Seriously, wouldn't that be great? I know the odds are against it, but to have a Viking's drafted player come in, learn and then be a legitimate starter in the league would be such a nice change. We're all rooting for that, obviously. He seems eager to learn and soak up what Cousins has to offer from a mentoring standpoint.
It would be a beautiful thing. To get our QBOTF for nothing? While the Bears, Lions and yellow team waste billions in draft capital? Might almost make up for decades of bad purple luck. Almost.
Just as long as we don't count on it, or expect it.
Quote: @MaroonBells said:
@ StickyBun said:
@ MaroonBells said:
@ StickyBun said:
Mond has a lot to learn. My biggest concern is the taking snaps from under center. Its going to be so important to any upside potential that he gets time to LEARN without the pressure of being a #1 draft pick. This needs to be his incubation time. He's in the right place for it with Cousins locked in for 2 years.
Couldn't agree more. This is not a QB you want starting any time soon. With patience and a little luck he can take over a very good team in a couple of years.
Seriously, wouldn't that be great? I know the odds are against it, but to have a Viking's drafted player come in, learn and then be a legitimate starter in the league would be such a nice change. We're all rooting for that, obviously. He seems eager to learn and soak up what Cousins has to offer from a mentoring standpoint.
It would be a beautiful thing. To get our QBOTF for nothing? While the Bears, Lions and yellow team waste billions in draft capital? Might almost make up for decades of bad purple luck. Almost.
Just as long as we don't count on it, or expect it.
Actually the Lions got 2 first rounders and Goff for Stafford. Even if Goff isn't salvaged, Detroit now has 2 first round picks in both '22 and '23. They've certainly got draft capital to use if they want to. Personally I'd have taken Fields at 7 over Sewell this year because there's talented OT's every year but physical freaks with big-game experience at QB are a far rarer thing. Fields on a rookie deal with 4 1st round picks to build around him with... thanks Detroit for NOT doing that.
Quote: @RS Express said:
@ MaroonBells said:
@ StickyBun said:
@ MaroonBells said:
@ StickyBun said:
Mond has a lot to learn. My biggest concern is the taking snaps from under center. Its going to be so important to any upside potential that he gets time to LEARN without the pressure of being a #1 draft pick. This needs to be his incubation time. He's in the right place for it with Cousins locked in for 2 years.
Couldn't agree more. This is not a QB you want starting any time soon. With patience and a little luck he can take over a very good team in a couple of years.
Seriously, wouldn't that be great? I know the odds are against it, but to have a Viking's drafted player come in, learn and then be a legitimate starter in the league would be such a nice change. We're all rooting for that, obviously. He seems eager to learn and soak up what Cousins has to offer from a mentoring standpoint.
It would be a beautiful thing. To get our QBOTF for nothing? While the Bears, Lions and yellow team waste billions in draft capital? Might almost make up for decades of bad purple luck. Almost.
Just as long as we don't count on it, or expect it.
Actually the Lions got 2 first rounders and Goff for Stafford. Even if Goff isn't salvaged, Detroit now has 2 first round picks in both '22 and '23. They've certainly got draft capital to use if they want to. Personally I'd have taken Fields at 7 over Sewell this year because there's talented OT's every year but physical freaks with big-game experience at QB are a far rarer thing. Fields on a rookie deal with 4 1st round picks to build around him with... thanks Detroit for NOT doing that.
Agree and the Bears got a steal with Fields at 10 - IMO. I would have jumped on him at 14 if he fell even with my favorite realistic target Darrisaw was available which of course he was and we got later.
after 45 years it doesn't seem like good draft picks and good players make a difference for us.
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