Kyle McCord successfully revived his college career after transferring to Syracuse and is looking like a legitimate draft prospect. Here is a 2025 NFL Draft Early Scouting Report and film analysis on him.
Overview, Film Analysis, And Early 2025 Scouting Report Of Syracuse QB Kyle McCord
Measurables:
- 6’3”
- 220 lbs
Player Background:
Kyle McCord finished his High School career at St. Joseph’s Prep as a three-straight state champion and five-star composite QB recruit. He committed to Ohio State, seeing action in five games with one start in his freshman season. In said games, he threw for 416 yards on 65% completion and a 2/2 TD/INT ratio. He backed up CJ Stroud again the following season, getting time in seven games and throwing for 190 yards and a score on 20 attempts.
He earned the starting role to begin the 2023 season, keeping his role throughout the season. McCord put up decent stats with 3,170 yards on 65% completion with a 24/6 TD/INT ratio but struggled to end the year. He entered the transfer portal and committed to Syracuse as a four-star transfer. He nearly threw for 5,000 yards with the Orange in his senior campaign, racking up 37 total scores and a Holiday Bowl victory.
Accolades:
- Third Team All-Big Ten (2023)
- Second Team All-ACC (2024)
- ACC Single-Season Passing Yards Record Holder (2024)
Strengths/Pros:
McCord’s throwing motion is very short and whippy. He releases quickly and gets the ball to his weapons fast. He visibly trusts both himself and his receivers consistently, often completing tough throws and putting the ball in a position for his targets to succeed. He drives the ball down the field just about every drive and has excellent anticipation of second-level backers when layering throws. His eyes stay downfield when feeling the pressure, extending plays, and creating in the pocket.
He excels when targeting the intermediate level, hitting wideouts in stride, and finding open space. McCord gets enough power behind his throws to fit the ball into tight windows over the middle. His release allows him to manipulate his arm angles and alter release points in the pocket. He sticks passes when falling backward and keeps his base mostly aligned when moving around to keep options available.
Weaknesses/Cons:
The downside to being confident in making every throw, as evident in McCord, is a high level of danger in many of his decisions. He gets trigger-happy on some outside 50/50 balls, mistiming throws and putting the ball in harm’s way. His arm strength isn’t top-tier, throwing off some of his deep balls and increasing the risk of many of his throws. Many of these issues were much more noticeable at Ohio State but did come up at Syracuse.
McCord’s eyes tend to drag his body too much when going through his reads. His ball placement can get iffy on crossing routes as a result. He gets into stretches where he becomes very first read-dependent and gets too meticulous scanning other reads. His mobility is quite low, making him an overall non-factor for scrambling or pulling the ball on options. He needs to smoothen up his handoffs a bit too, as he is getting a bit stiff and/or off-timed.
Potential Team Fits:
NFL Projection:
McCord has forced his way back onto the NFL Draft scene with his play for Syracuse, and he should be viewed as a viable mid-round option for teams looking for a backup with starting upside. His gunslinging traits should let him consistently drive the ball downfield for an NFL team in short bursts. However, as with many similar players, he’s very prone to turnover-worthy plays. He can become a decent starter if he can enter a good situation with a solid supporting cast, and at worst a fine backup.
Prospect Grade:
- Mid-Late 4th Round
Film Exposures:
- 2024 vs. Georgia Tech
- 2024 vs. Miami
- 2024 vs. Pittsburgh
Main Image: Rich Barnes-Imagn Images
