Syracuse football fans are hopeful that numerous former Orange stars will hear their name called at this year's NFL Draft, which gets going on Thursday night in the "cheesiest" of all cities, Green Bay, Wis.
That last phrase, I say in jest, although the 2025 NFL Draft is taking place in Green Bay, which I might add is a lovely place. The first round transpires on Thursday evening, and while I don't anticipate any former Syracuse football standouts getting picked, we absolutely could see several 'Cuse players selected in subsequent rounds.
GOOOOOOD MORNING SYRACUSE 🌅
— Syracuse Football (@CuseFootball) April 24, 2025
IT’S DRAFT DAY ‼️🍊🎯
📺 #NFLDraft – April 24-26 on NFL Network/ESPN/ABC pic.twitter.com/KnzAv9j6w3
Per nfl.com, the NFL Draft will air on ABC, ESPN and the NFL Network. Here is the schedule:
Round One
Thursday, April 24
8 pm EST
Rounds Two and Three
Friday, April 25
7 pm EST
Rounds Four through Seven
Saturday, April 26
12 pm EST
What to watch for as it pertains to Syracuse football and the 2025 NFL Draft.
Leading up to the draft, five former Orange players participated in the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine, which was held from late February until early March in Indianapolis. Those suiting up at the combine were quarterback Kyle McCord, running back LeQuint Allen Jr., tight end Oronde Gadsden II, defensive end Fadil Diggs and defensive back Alijah Clark.
Following the 2024 season, a bunch of 'Cuse players competed in college all-star showcases, including the five mentioned above along with wide receiver Jackson Meeks, linebacker Justin Barron and linebacker Marlowe Wax Jr.
In a recent press release on cuse.com, Syracuse football noted that the 2025 NFL Draft could be "one of the biggest" in program history, with this announcement detailing when the last time the team had multiple players chosen in the same draft.
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) April 15, 2025
McCord, who had a record-setting senior year in his lone season on the Hill, certainly has gotten some buzz ahead of the draft. Earlier this month, noted Fox Sports commentator Colin Cowherd called McCord "the sleeper of the draft."
In a recent mock draft, CBS Sports had McCord going in the third round, at No. 94 overall, to the Cleveland Browns.
NFL.com analyst Bucky Brooks has McCord as the No. 5 signal-caller in the 2025 NFL Draft, writing in part, "After rewriting the record book at Syracuse as a one-and-done transfer from Ohio State, the former ballyhooed recruit should garner some attention as a developmental prospect with starting potential."
NFL Draft analyst Chad Reuter has McCord forecast to head to the New York Jets in the third round, at No. 73 overall. Reuter also projects the Baltimore Ravens (my hometown team!) to pick Diggs in the third round, at No. 91 overall.
In this mock draft from Reuter, the Super Bowl champions, the Philadelphia Eagles, are forecast to select Gadsden in the fifth round, at No. 164 overall, while the Washington Commanders are predicted to choose Allen in the seventh round, at No. 245 overall.
On Thursday, here was a final mock 2025 NFL Draft from Ayrton Ostly of USA TODAY:
Diggs to the Miami Dolphins in the fifth round, No. 150 overall
Gadsden to the Philadelphia Eagles in the fifth round, No. 161 overall
McCord to the Miami Dolphins in the seventh round, No. 224 overall
Allen to the Arizona Cardinals in the seventh round, No. 225 overall