CFB Insider drops bold 2025 NFL Draft Projections for Syracuse Orange: Where will Kyle McCord, Alijah Clark and co. land?
Syracuse is starting over again, as Dino Babers was fired and the team is under new management. The roster has decent underlying talent and players with upside.
Had Oronde Gadsden II not gotten hurt two games into the season last year and performed as expected, he likely would’ve entered the draft.
He’s a big-bodied pass catcher who began his college career at receiver before moving to tight end. Gadsden, whose father was a receiver with the Miami Dolphins, is a natural catching the ball and plays with great athleticism.
He looks more like a big possession receiver than a tight end and he must master the blocking portion of the position, but he has a terrific upside.
Junior LeQuint Allen is a hard-charging ball carrier who was one of the few consistent players for the Syracuse offense last season. He’s a tough interior runner with the ability to create yardage.
Syracuse Orange's 2025 NFL Draft Preview
#1 Alijah Clark
Alijah Clark is a safety some scouts grade him as a third-round prospect, while others feel he’s a late-rounder. He has terrific size and speed for the position and decent ball skills.
I could be underrating him with my fifth-round grade, yet his lack of interceptions the past two seasons with just five pass breakups is a concern.
Texas A&M transfer Fadil Diggs is an athletic pass rusher who can stand over tackle or come out of a three-point stance. He was a consistent force for the Aggies defense and constantly made big plays behind the line of scrimmage. Diggs was a big signing for the Orange.
#2 Kyle McCord
You could potentially say the same thing of quarterback Kyle McCord. From the neck down, McCord has the ability to be a middle-round choice, if not a Day 2 pick.
McCord’s problem is above the shoulders. Watching his film at Ohio State last season, his only campaign as a starter for the Buckeyes, McCord showed little sense for what was happening on the field and poor field vision.
Most maddening was that he rarely moved his head off the primary receiver. He was as much pushed out the door at Ohio State as anything else, as head coach Ryan Day needs a major upgrade at quarterback to save his job.
McCord is a late-rounder with middle-round potential; let’s see if a change in scenery is what he needs.
Keep an eye on cornerbacks Duce Chestnut and Clarence Lewis. Both are transfers; in the case of Chestnut, it’s his second stint with SU, and both have shown a lot of ability in the past.
Also Read: Boston College NFL Draft Projections 2025: Tony Pauline previews Cameron Horsley, Donovan Ezeiruaku and more