Will Howard and Kyle McCord are representing Philly-area QBs at the NFL combine: ‘There’s always been talent there’

McCord (St. Joe's Prep) and Howard (Downingtown West) are both expected to be mid-round picks in April's draft.

Kyle McCord (left) and Will Howard (right) are both expected to be mid-round draft picks.Read moreDenis Poroy, Associated Press, Jay LaPrete, Associated Press

Published Feb. 28, 2025, 4:44 p.m. ET

INDIANAPOLIS — For the last two years, the Ohio State quarterback position has been manned by two of the Philly area’s most prolific high school players.

Kyle McCord chose Ohio State after a stellar run at St. Joseph’s Prep, sat and waited his turn for two years, then became the starting quarterback in 2023. After McCord left the Buckeyes for the transfer portal, Ohio State handed the keys to transfer Will Howard, a Downingtown West alum who played at Kansas State for four seasons and led the Wildcats to a Big 12 title in 2022. Meanwhile, McCord teamed up with Camden native Fran Brown at Syracuse.

The decision for both quarterbacks paid off in a big way. Howard helped lead the Buckeyes to a national championship, while McCord helped lead a resurgence at Syracuse, setting ACC and school records along the way. Both quarterbacks’ play this year also put the Philly-area high school scene on the map, too.

“I think there’s always been talent there, so now it’s cool to see guys that [like] myself and Will, and then there’s going to be a few more guys coming up to go in and have success at this level,” McCord said from his podium at the NFL scouting combine. “Now, it’s cool just to see us get recognized.”

For Howard, he called playing for Ohio State “the best decision I’ve ever made,” after finishing the 2024 season throwing for 4,010 yards and 35 touchdowns, both career highs, while adding another seven rushing touchdowns. During the College Football Playoff, the Downingtown native completed 75.2% of his passes, and finished with nine touchdowns and two interceptions in OSU’s four-game run to becoming national champions. He says improving his accuracy was a big emphasis this past season.

“The two things that I was looking for in a school were developing as a prospect, developing my draft stock, and competing for a national championship. One of those boxes [got] checked,” Howard said. “The things that we went through this year, what I learned going into a new locker room, having to win over a locker room, all those different things truly taught me so much. And I feel really well prepared.”

In reflecting on his decision to leave Ohio State, which McCord says “wasn’t easy,” he also conceded that he “didn’t play my best football” in his lone season starting for the Buckeyes. But he said he still had belief “I was going to make a big jump from Year 1 to Year 2.”

He wound up authoring a historic season at Syracuse. McCord broke the ACC record for passing yards in a season, surpassing Deshaun Watson’s 2016 mark at Clemson, helped lead the Orange to a 10-3 record, and led college football in completions (391), attempts (592), and passing yards (4,779). McCord added that he was “playing with a lot more confidence, a lot more, I think freedom in my game.”

McCord said his season starting at OSU laid the groundwork for his breakout campaign with the Orange.

“I think having a year of experience starting at Ohio State under my belt, I don’t think you can get much more prepared than that,” McCord said. “I was super critical watching myself from Ohio State and attacking the areas that I needed to improve upon. And just the success that I had last year really wasn’t a surprise to me.

“I knew all the mistakes were correctable, and so I really attacked it. I was completely honest with myself, and knew what I needed to improve upon. And so that’s exactly what I did.”

Howard and McCord’s relationship has developed over the last couple of years. The pair both attended last summer’s Manning Passing Academy, and chatted back and forth prior to the start of last season. They’ve reunited at the combine, and McCord says that Howard “got better as the season went on, and it seemed like he played his best football in the biggest games.”

At his podium, Howard lauded his ability to show up in the biggest games, namely Ohio State’s College Football Playoff run, as a reason teams should be interested in drafting him come April.

“I played my best ball when the lights were the brightest. And I think I proved to people that, you know, I am [at my] best when the pressure’s on, and when the playoffs came along like, I think that was one of the best things,” Howard said. “I was able to really just let it rip, man. … I was being accurate. I mean, being able to go 13-for-13 to start the national championship was one of the better starts I’ve had to a game.

“I was able to push myself and able to show teams that hopefully I can be that face of the franchise, and I can be a starting quarterback in the NFL for a long time.”

Howard has been linked with the Las Vegas Raiders given Chip Kelly, his offensive coordinator at OSU, was recently hired to the same position on Pete Carroll’s staff. Howard said that Kelly is “an elite play caller, and he’s creative as hell,” and added that he “would love to play for him again.”

McCord, meanwhile, has met with the Cleveland Browns and New York Jets. The Browns, in particular, have a built-in connection: McCord and Cleveland coach Kevin Stefanski are both St. Joe’s Prep alums, and the pair met during the East-West Shrine Bowl last month in Dallas.

But the Mount Laurel native also revealed that he was a Jets fan growing up, and says he wears No. 6 because of Mark Sanchez, because his dad’s brother was also a New York fan. He said he hasn’t met new Jets coach Aaron Glenn yet, but met with some of the team’s scouts in Dallas.

Both quarterbacks will throw during the on-field portions of Saturday’s workout for quarterbacks, running backs, and wide receivers at the combine (1 p.m., NFL Network).