Syracuse Football: Analyst ranks top-25 quarterbacks; 4-star Kyle McCord on the list

Syracuse football senior quarterback Kyle McCord has made the cut for a list by a national analyst of the top-25 QBs in college football ahead of the 2024 season.

In recent days, 247Sports national analyst Brad Crawford detailed his top signal-callers before the upcoming campaign gets underway. He's got the 6-foot-3, 220-pound McCord at No. 20 around the country.

Personally, I don't think there are 19 "better" quarterbacks nationwide than McCord, but we're splitting hairs. For one, these sorts of rankings are subjective in nature. Secondly, McCord will have plenty of chances to prove how good he is on the field, as the Orange's 2024 season begins on Saturday, Aug. 31, when the 'Cuse will host Ohio at the JMA Wireless Dome.

In his top 25, Crawford includes three other quarterbacks from the Atlantic Coast Conference. He also has an honorable-mention category, where Crawford includes five quarterbacks from the ACC.

Syracuse football senior Kyle McCord is deemed one of the top signal-callers in the sport.

This off-season, McCord transferred to the 'Cuse after having a solid junior term at Big Ten Conference powerhouse Ohio State. He led the Buckeyes to an 11-1 mark in the 2023 regular season, while completing 65.8 percent of his passes for 3,170 yards and 24 touchdowns against just six interceptions.

In national transfer ratings this off-season, McCord arrived in the top 50 overall and in the top 10 at quarterback, per the industry-generated On3 Industry Ranking. McCord, a Mount Laurel, N.J., native, was also formerly a five-star prep recruit, and he has known several Syracuse football coaches, including first-year head coach Fran Brown, for many years.

Crawford, in his top-25 national quarterback rankings, wrote: "The new staff essentially gave McCord total control of Syracuse's scheme and that should benefit an efficient passer formerly of Ohio State."

Assuming the offensive line is effective, and I think it will be, the 'Cuse offense has the makings of something special in 2024. McCord is a proven commodity, and he has an abundance of talented players to target with his throws, including tight ends, traditional wide receivers and runnings backs, too.

Speaking of that, the Syracuse football offense, assuming McCord stays healthy, should be much more balanced this coming season than in other recent years. That's because the passing attack should be potent, and the rushing game should also prove excellent, given the team's depth in its running back room.

Earlier this week, McCord was named to the preseason watch list of the Davey O'Brien Award, an honor doled out annually to the country's top quarterback. Recently, he has also received inclusion on the preseason watch lists of two national player of the year honors, the Walter Camp and Maxwell Awards.