Former NFL QB says Kyle McCord would mix well with the Rams
With or without Matthew Stafford on the team next season, the Los Angeles Rams have little hope of drafting a franchise quarterback with the 26th overall pick in 2025. But if Les Snead is going bargain shopping in the 2025 Draft, then Kyle McCord could be the right quarterback to add to the roster as competition for a backup position.
Former NFL QB and current YouTube Kurt Benkert liked McCord’s film enough to see him as a backup in the league, specifically for Joe Burrow, Jared Goff, or Stafford:
I totally see him as a guy that can go in and be a back up and run an offense / operate to get completions, move the chains and navigate situational football.
The thing I was most impressed with is his identifying coverage specifics (ie leverage, etc) and attacking accordingly by changing his throw type. He sees opportunities of when to take shots and what type of throws each one requires. Specifically, he’s very crafty in how he navigates choosing the type of throw a go ball takes or even post throws.
He throws a really nice back shoulder, but can also push the ball vertically and drop it in the bucket.
He’s also really accurate on outbreakers under 10 yards. I’d like to see him as a back up to someone like Joe Burrow that’s a distributor and a field general.
Honestly, he’d be a good backup to Goff or Stafford too.
I just broke down Kyle McCord’s tape and here’s what I thought.
There’s nothing flashy about his game, but he’s really clean, decisive and accurate. He really turned it on down the stretch of last season and showed that he could be a guy that can operate in an NFL offense,… pic.twitter.com/DHrGpcf6zW
— Kurt Benkert (@KurtBenkert) February 3, 2025
McCord played three seasons as Ohio State — but only one as the starter — then transferred to Syracuse when his career didn’t pan out for the Buckeyes. He threw 592 passes in 2024, gaining a whopping 4,779 yards and 34 touchdowns, but also with 12 interceptions. He finished 10th in Heisman voting.
The Rams have a decision to make with Stafford and so far all signs point towards the veteran quarterback playing next season rather than retiring. That could be with the Rams, but L.A. hasn’t shown their cards yet as far as how hard they want to push for a playoff run in 2025.
Do the Rams see themselves as Super Bowl contenders worth upgrading the roster or is it the right opportunity to reset the franchise for a year and recoup as many resources as possible?
In any case, Jimmy Garoppolo is a free agent and Stetson Bennett hasn’t worked out as the team hoped. McCord could be a day three answer, even if he’s not the answer to replacing Stafford.
