Chris Simms 2021 Quarterback Rankings Strike Controversy Yet Again

Chris Simms has come out with his yearly quarterback rankings in the 2021 draft class. Simms is notorious for avoiding common groupthink and making some controversial choices when ranking the top prospects. This year is no different as he ranks Texas A&M’s Kellen Mond fourth overall.

As a consensus, most scouts have the quarterbacks ranked

1. Trevor Lawrence
2. Zack Wilson/Justin Fields
3. Trey Lance
4. Mac Jones
5. Kyle Trask

Without even considering Kellen Mond worth even a second-round pick. Mond flashes some potential, especially after winning the Senior Bowl MVP, but is a streaky player. Mond possesses elite arm talent and athleticism to make him a running threat when needed. His shortcomings stem from his accuracy and decision-making after throwing 27 interceptions in his collegiate career. Mond is considered by most to be a developmental project who may never be better than a backup. While I see more potential than that, Simms is definitely going against the grain with that take.

Ranking Mond at four leads most overlooking Simms’s ranking of Wilson ahead of Lawrence, who may be the greatest prospect we have ever seen at the quarterback position.

While many say Simms put out this list to get clicks and stir the pot, he has been quite accurate the past couple of years in terms of quarterback evaluation. Just last season he said that Justin Herbert is a much better player than Tua Tagovailoa and no one should be disagreeing after Herbert won the Offensive Rookie of the Year award. Even more impressive were his 2018 quarterback rankings

1. Lamar Jackson
2. Josh Allen
3. Baker Mayfield
4. Sam Darnold
5. Josh Rosen

Which couldn’t have been more spot on. Lamar Jackson was the fifth quarterback taken in that draft and won the MVP award in his second year. Josh Allen was the third quarterback off the board and was in the MVP discussion this past season after leading Buffalo to a stellar 13-3 season.

Say what you will about his current rankings of the incoming quarterbacks, but Simms has a solid track record to back up his decision.