The Texas A&M Aggies enter the 2021 college football season in need of a new starting quarterback. Kellen Mond was the starter for the past four years for the Aggies, but fans weren’t often pleased with Mond’s production. The quarterback position is most important for any team’s success in today’s era of prolific offenses. Check out the depth chart for the Aggies’ quarterbacks and see who can compete for the starting position.
Aggies’ Quarterbacks for 2021
Haynes King and Zach Calzada are expected to battle it out for the starting quarterback position this Fall. Eli Stowers is an incoming true freshman who will likely only step on the field during blowout games. While there are only 3 quarterbacks on the depth chart, each of them possesses a unique skillset for the Aggies.
The Competing Starters
Zach Calzada is the A&M quarterback with the most experience. While Calzada’s not expected to win the starting spot, his knowledge and unique build at 6’4” and 200 pounds makes him a viable starter with a game similar to that of Kellen Mond; a quarterback with both IQ and talent is often needed to defeat SEC giants such as Alabama and LSU. It would be more reasonable for Calzada to start for A&M early in the season until October.
Haynes King was a higher-rated recruit than Calzada, and his play is similar to that of Johnny Manziel. Looking at the spring game, every throw that King made just looked uncontrolled, but the ball somehow ended up in the receiver’s hands; this should remind A&M fans of Manziel. Haynes King is the likely starter for A&M, but there are many areas in his game that require improvement. King will need to develop his throwing ability quickly to be prepared for Alabama on October 9th. King’s biggest weapon is his legs, and he could even reach 1,000 rushing yards next season if he is consistently the starter at quarterback.
The Newcomer
Eli Stowers is a dual-threat quarterback alike King, but Stowers is more likely to sit this year and gain experience on the practice field. In his senior year of high school, he greatly improved his throwing accuracy and increased his production as a runner. Stowers’ play reminded scouts of Desmond Ridder, which makes Stowers a likely starter at quarterback in the coming years. He’s special in that his build is similar to that of Calzada, and his game is alike that of King.
Concluding Thoughts
Jimbo Fisher has a big decision to make for the starting quarterback position heading into next season. The Aggies seem to be heading in the right direction, but they will require more from the quarterback position to compete for a SEC Championship. Whoever starts at quarterback for the Aggies, whether it be Calzada or King, will have to perform at a high level for A&M to reach another NY6 Bowl or perhaps even the playoff.
