As we move through the college football season, players will look to improve their draft stock through post-season play, such as bowl games, the East/West shrine bowl, or even the Senior Bowl. Today’s report takes a look at a signal caller from the ACC who’s changing the face of Syracuse Football, and accepted a post-season bowl game invite, and recently declaring for the NFL Draft, Kyle McCord.
A 5 star recruit by 247 sports and the No. 3 Quarterback in the class of 2021, Kyle committed his talents to Ohio State University. His first season saw him complete 65.8% of his passes for 416 yards, 2 touchdowns and 2 INTs.
2022 saw him act as the premier backup to eventual #2 overall pick CJ Stroud, so his action was limited. Kyle went 16 for 20 for 190 yards and 1 touchdown in relief of CJ.
2023 saw Kyle start all 12 games at quarterback for his best season yet: 3,170 yards, 24 touchdowns and 6 interceptions on the way to an 11-1 record and an invite to the Cotton Bowl. However, Kyle elected to transfer to Syracuse to start his 2024 season, and at the time of this article, has performed well: 3,476 yards, 24 touchdowns, 12 INTs, on 64% completion.
The talent has shone brightly, both during his time at Ohio State and while at Syracuse, but does the tape match the talent? Let’s take a deep dive in and find out:
Player Info
Name: Kyle McCord
Jersey: No. 6
Position: Quarterback
School: Syracuse University
Class: Senior
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 220 lbs.
Kyle McCord’s Strengths
Kyle has the prototypical frame and size to play the QB position at the NFL level. He also has a strong arm attached to that frame, capable of making every throw at every level of the field.
He has a quick release that allows the ball to come out quickly, as well as the touch to be able to place the ball accurately to his receivers as well. He also has a lot of poise when navigating the pocket, and doesn’t crumble when faced with pressure from opposing defenses.
His accuracy is best when hitting his receivers in the intermediate and deep parts of the field, as well as hitting his receivers in stride, creating multiple yards after catch opportunities.
Kyle McCord’s Weaknesses
Kyle is a true pocket passer, lacking the mobility and scrambling ability to be able to extend plays or move the ball in the run game. He sometimes shows a hesitancy to let it rip, which leads to turnovers when the ball is thrown too late.
His footwork when pressured gets sloppy, leading to errant throws and inaccurate passes. In addition, he does need to improve his consistency on the deeper passes. Too many times, he lets it rip, but forgets to take some off of it, overthrowing his receivers.
Draft Projection
I currently have a 4th round grade on Kyle McCord, but with his invite to the Shrine Bowl, he could absolutely rise up draft boards. In his current form, he’s a guy who you can draft and potentially spot start, but is a likely back-up QB.
That said, some teams that could be in on Kyle:
- Jacksonville Jaguars (With Mac Jones in the final year of his deal, the Jaguars could bring in the strong armed signal caller as a backup to Trevor Lawrence, should he miss any time.)
- Seattle Seahawks (This is a developmental fit, bringing in McCord to groom him and potentially have him take over for Geno Smith at the end of Geno’s deal.)
- Denver Broncos (Wilson and Stidham are free agents, and I expect Payton to grab at least one QB in the draft to replace one of the two. McCord has the arm talent that Payton covets, although isn’t as mobile as a guy like Nix, which could be detrimental to him seeing meaningful snaps at the next level.)
Any team that selects Kyle is doing so either as a backup caliber QB, or has a developmental plan in place to get him up to speed for starts. I don’t believe he is a guy you’d want starting opening day in 2025, but with the right team and time, I could see him opening day 2026 being ready to roll for certain teams in the NFL as a signal caller.
My comparison for Kyle McCord: Jared Goff, QB, Detroit Lions/Los Angeles Rams
