From now until the 2025 NFL Draft takes place, we hope to scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top-10 picks, all the way down to Day 3 selections, and priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on Syracuse quarterback Kyle McCord.
#6 KYLE MCCORD, QB, SYRACUSE (SR) – 6026, 220 lbs.
Measurements
| Player | Ht/Wt | Hand Size | Arm Length | Wingspan |
| Kyle McCord | 6026/220 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 40-Yard Dash | 10-Yard Dash | Short Shuttle | 3-Cone | |
| N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
| Broad Jump | Vertical | Bench Press | ||
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
The Good
— Solid height and good weight
— Solid arm strength and good accuracy
— Played in a pro-style offense
— Good mental processing and reading of coverages
— Gets the ball out quickly with good placement
— Keep eyes downfield under pressure; knows where hot read/check-down is
— Uses the entire field
— Capable of making full-field reads
— Nice touch to layer throws over defenders
— Even keeled, not overly emotional on the field
The Bad
— Speed is adequate; won’t outrun pass rushers to the outside
— Mechanics and accuracy dip under pressure
— Will get flatfooted in the pocket
— Accuracy on crossing routes is a touch behind
— Scrambling left he doesn’t get his hips around to make a good throw
— Throws will sail under pressure when he doesn’t adjust his feet
— Will stare down receivers or throw to predetermined covered receivers
— Deep throws outside the numbers consistently underthrown
Bio
— Career: 661 completions, 998 attempts, 66.2 Comp%, 8,555 yards, 61 TD, 20 INT, 8.6 YPA; 11 rushes, -142 Yards, 3 TD
— 2023: 391 completions, 592 attempts, 66.0 Comp%, 4,779 yards, 34 TD, 12 INT, 8.1 YPA; 67 rushes for -65 yards, 3 TD
— 37 games, 26 starts
— 2024: Led NCAA in completions, attempts, yards, interceptions, and yards per
— Finished 10th in Heisman voting
— 2024: Second team All-ACC; 2023- second-team All-Big Ten
— Two-time All-Academic Big Ten
— Father Derek played quarterback at Rutgers
— East West Shrine Bowl invitee
— 9/19/2002 (22)
Tape Breakdown
Kyle McCord began his career at Ohio State before transferring to Syracuse for his final year. He played in a pro-style offense that used multiple formations and groups. He aligned under center, in shotgun and pistol, in a rhythmic passing offense that included play action and RPO tendencies.
With solid height, good size, and a good football IQ, he is able to read defenses and anticipate advantageous routes. Post-snap, he sets, makes his mental processing adjustments, gets the ball out quickly with solid arm strength, and knows where his hot route/crackdown will be. He has a good pocket presence to feel the rush and is solid when working up through the pocket.
Under pressure, he keeps his eyes downfield to work through his progressions. He will often backpedal in the pocket but knows where his check-down is and gets the ball to them. When needed, he’ll change his arm angle and keep his accuracy. Throwing on the move, he displayed solid accuracy when moving forward or to his right.
Many of his reads were half-field, but over the course of the season, he displayed the ability to work through full-field reads more and more. The whole field was in play as he made throws to all areas and levels.
On short area throws, he displayed good timing and accuracy to place the ball where the receiver could run after the catch. Swings and screens outside were on time. Ball placement was good on ins and outs, curls, and slants.
On intermediate throws, he displayed good timing and solid arm strength. Again, his ball placement was good, and he showed professional throws like the deep out from the far hash. Seam routes, dig, and comeback routes were effective.
These throws show ball placement away from the defender.
On deep throws, he made confident,, accurate throws over the middle of the field. He was able to zip the ball on a line or layer the throw over linebackers. Back shoulder throws outside, the skinny post, and the post were all common occurrences.
Here are a couple of examples of layered throws throwing over one defender and under another.
A sample of some of his downfield completions.
Overall, his foot speed is adequate, and he will have trouble outrunning pass rushers toward the sidelines. When throwing off platform or under pressure, his accuracy and mechanics decrease. When setting up in the pocket, he will be flatfooted on some throws rather than on his toes, ready to hitch. Accuracy on crossing routes was often a touch behind. When scrambling to his left, he is marginal at getting his hips around to make a throw.
Under pressure, when he doesn’t adjust his feet, the ball tends to sail high. This happened less at Syracuse, but on some RPOs, he will throw to a predetermined receiver regardless of coverage. He will stare down receivers and needs to improve moving defenders with his eyes. Deep throws outside the numbers were consistently underthrown. It feels like he steers the ball on those throws rather than letting it fly. Speed is not a threat as a consistent runner.
This deep throw is a completion, but you’d like to see it come out quicker and more to the back pylon.
Poor decisions and staring down receivers led to interceptions here.
Conclusion
McCord has solid height, good weight, and a good football IQ. He has solid arm strength, a good understanding of the offense, and reads defenses effectively. He has a good pocket presence, gets the ball out quickly and accurately, and uses the whole field. His accuracy and timing are good and give the receiver a chance to run after the catch.
Areas to improve include his mechanics and accuracy when off-platform, staying on his toes in the pocket, and accuracy on crossing routes. Manipulating defenders with his eyes and letting the ball fly on deep routes outside the numbers will benefit him in the future.
In a year when quarterback options in the NFL Draft are not that plentiful, McCord will be a player some teams like and may go as early as day two. Leaving Ohio State seems to be a win/win for both sides, as he made impressive strides this season in his development. There is plenty to work with, and putting him in a West Coast-like, rhythmic passing system would fit him well.
For a player comp, I will give you a less energetic Gardner Minshew. He, too, has poise in the pocket, gets the ball out quickly, and is accurate. However, he also has questions about deep accuracy and the ability to run away from pass rushers.
Projection: Early Day Three
Depot Draft Grade: 7.4 Rotational Player (4th Round)
Games Watched: 2023 – At Michigan; 2024 – Vs Georgia Tech, At Pittsburgh, At California, Vs Miami
