- Ball placement is king for McCord: The Syracuse product can fit passes into tight windows and hit receivers in stride, helping him rack up the most big-time throws in the FBS last season.
- McCord tends to struggle to move past his first read: Reading a defense post-snap separates the top quarterbacks from the pack, and McCord has work to do in that area.
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Estimated Reading Time: 4 minutes
2024 PFF Grades and Stats (Rank out of 56 Draft-Eligible QBs)
| PFF Overall Grade | 90.5 (4th) |
| Big-Time Throw % | 5.7% (7th) |
| Turnover-Worthy Play % | 3.5% (37th) |
| Adjusted Completion % | 75.2% (18th) |
| Pressure-to-Sack Rate | 17.0% (28th) |
| PFF Clean Pocket Grade | 90.3 (11th) |
| PFF Under Pressure Grade | 73.9 (2nd) |
Background
Kyle McCord is a 22-year-old, 6-foot-3 and 218-pound quarterback out of Syracuse. He started his college career at Ohio State, where he didn’t become the team's full-time starter until his third season. He then transferred to Syracuse and led the Orange to a 10-3 record while pacing the NCAA in multiple passing categories.
Strengths
Quick distributor
Among McCord’s biggest strengths is his ability to get the ball out quickly and efficiently. He posted the ninth-quickest time to throw in the FBS last season and, despite that, racked up the most big-time throws in the FBS. He attacks downfield efficiently — not just dumping the ball underneath. McCord exhibits a gunslinger's mentality, showcasing a fearless and aggressive approach. He consistently demonstrates a willingness to attack all areas of the field, unafraid to throw into tight windows or challenge defenses deep. That aggressive mindset can lead to spectacular plays and big gains.
Ball placement
McCord consistently demonstrated exceptional ball placement in a variety of situations in college. PFF tracks accuracy and ball placement on every throw, and while his adjusted completion rate was a middle-of-the-pack figure, his ball placement was top-notch. McCord's 18.7% plus-accuracy rate ranks fourth in the draft class. Plus accuracy means the ball hits the receiver in stride or is perfectly placed in tight coverage. His precision allows receivers to make plays without breaking stride, minimizing the risk of drops or interceptions. That skill is particularly evident in tight windows, where McCord can thread the needle even when facing pressure. His touch and control enable him to adjust the trajectory and velocity of his throws, placing the ball where only his receiver can catch it.
Weaknesses
Athleticism and arm talent
McCord does not possess exceptional athleticism or arm talent. He lacks the elite speed and agility often seen in top-tier quarterbacks. His throw velocity is just average at best, which could significantly limit him at the next level. His lack of athleticism and arm strength will force him to be nearly perfect with his timing. His velocity won't allow him to be late with throws, and he doesn’t have the scrambling ability to get out of the pocket and extend plays. It pigeonholes him into being a precise pocket passer who has to play with exceptional timing.
Moving off his initial read
One part of why McCord is such a quick distributor is because he loves throwing to his initial read. He has an idea of where he wants to go with the ball pre-snap and locks into that decision far too often. It led to his high rate of turnover-worthy plays — he isn’t reading the defense post-snap and working off his initial read that isn’t open. McCord made the most turnover-worthy throws in the FBS when releasing in less than 2.5 seconds. He struggles to understand defenders' leverage and why certain throws won’t be open because of it. Not only does that lead to potential turnovers, but it also causes him to miss open throws later in the progression.
Summary
Kyle McCord is a quick and accurate distributor with good ball placement but lacks elite athleticism and arm strength. That will mentally require him to be at the top of his game on every snap. That could prove to be a problem due to his tendency to lock onto his initial read. He endured far too many turnovers and missed opportunities in college because of it. McCord has the potential to enjoy a solid NFL career as a backup or spot starter if he can elevate the mental aspects of his game, such as working through multiple progressions and understanding how a defender's leverage affects throwing windows.
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