The 22-year-old McCord was a five-star recruit out of St. Joseph’s Prep (where he was teammates with Marvin Harrison Jr.) who committed to Ohio State. He won the starting job in 2023 after backing up C.J. Stroud for two seasons. McCord had good production that season (3,170 passing yards, 24 touchdowns, six interceptions), but when he wasn’t guaranteed the starting job the following season, he entered the transfer portal and skipped Ohio State’s Sugar Bowl loss to Missouri.

McCord transferred to Syracuse and made the most of the move, throwing for a whopping 4,779 yards, 34 TDs and 12 interceptions. He capped his one season for the Orange with a 453-yard, five-TD showcase in the Holiday Bowl against Washington State. McCord also helped himself with a strong week at the East-West Shrine Bowl in January.

The 6-foot-3, 218-pound McCord had a 22-4 record as a starter in college, displaying pretty good arm strength and a willingness to take downfield shots. He throws with anticipation and decent touch, and is a tough customer, willing to stand in the pocket and take hits.

McCord, however, isn’t an exceptional athlete for the position. He isn’t the most creative playmaker and suffered through a handful of nightmare games, such as the 2023 loss to Michigan and a five-pick, zero-TD showing in a 2024 loss to Pitt.

Born in Mt. Laurel, New Jersey, McCord heads back to Philly, where he can develop behind Hurts and potentially earn the No. 2 gig as a spot starter if injuries strike. Given Hurts’ playing style, it’s never a bad idea to have insurance plans. At worst, McCord is a solid late-round dart with upside. Even without a clear path to starting reps, that’s worth something for Roseman.