A year after being run out of Ohio State and forced to enter the transfer portal, Kyle McCord reinvigorated the Syracuse football program. He led the Orange to a 10-win season — only their third in the last 30 seasons — while establishing himself as the FBS’ leading passer.
McCord is rated highly by teams and analysts alike ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft, but it isn’t because of his 10-win season for Syracuse, per one NFC Scout, but rather a stat related to his mentality when under pressure.
Scout Highlights Key Strength Of Kyle McCord
McCord only started 13 games across his three years at Ohio State before transferring to Syracuse for his final season in 2024. He started all 13 games, lighting up the stat sheet with 4,779 passing yards (an ACC record), 34 touchdowns, and just 12 interceptions (five of which came in a painful loss to Pitt).
But the most impressive stat of his college career was going 9-4 when trailing, per one NFC Scout. FOX Sports Insider Jordan Schultz made the revelation in his latest NFL Confidential, writing:
“One stat that caught the eye of an NFC scout? The fact McCord went 9-4 in college when trailing.”
McCord scripted several impressive comebacks with Syracuse last season, with the most notable being against the Miami Hurricanes and the potential No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward. The Orange were trailing 21-0 in the second quarter but went on to secure a massive 42-38 victory with McCord throwing for 380 yards and three touchdowns.
“When you’re evaluating quarterbacks, it’s the whole package,” the scout told Schultz. “It’s obviously the traits, it’s the mental makeup, it’s the history of coaching he’s had, all of that. But it’s how he handles adversity as much as anything. For Kyle, here’s a kid who was a 5-star [recruit], plays well at Ohio State, but fans turn on him after losing one time to Michigan. Then he goes to Syracuse and wins 10 games — at Syracuse.”
“He was down in a lot of those [games] and he always seemed to find a way out. That’s what I’m looking at as much as anything.”
My full report on Syracuse QB Kyle McCord — who @colincowherd calls “the sleeper of the draft.” https://t.co/sZF9E0Xpun pic.twitter.com/MDubJNM7q8
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report)
While some have questioned McCord’s arm strength, reputed analyst Colin Cowherd considers the QB a “sleeper” in this draft class and rates him as the second-best QB, only behind Ward.
McCord’s Draft Projection and Scouting Report
In PFSN’s latest seven-round mock draft by Jacob Infante, McCord is projected to be picked 137th overall by the Seattle Seahawks. The Seahawks have handed an upwards of $100 million contract to Sam Darnold this offseason, but if McCord falls to them this low, they won’t mind adding a safety blanket and a future starter.
Here’s what PFSN’s Reese Decker wrote in his scouting report on McCord:
“McCord is a polished, mature prospect with the potential to win games early in his NFL career, provided he lands in the right system with a strong quarterback coach and a solid supporting cast. He operates with smooth efficiency and a cerebral approach — two highly coveted traits for a quarterback.
“He demonstrates a strong understanding of coverages and defensive responsibilities. He consistently makes solid pre-snap reads, quickly identifying mismatches and exploiting them after the snap. His ability to process information quickly enables him to navigate through progressions efficiently, all while taking excellent care of the football.”
