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QBs Kyle McCord, Tyler Shough headline ACC players raising their draft stock at college All-Star games
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This isn’t a good year for teams needing a quarterback in the NFL Draft. That makes this a good year for quarterbacks other than Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders in the NFL Draft.
Miami’s Heisman Trophy finalist and the son of Colorado coach Deion Sanders presumably will be the first 2 passers taken – and possibly the first 2 players taken, period – when the NFL gathers in Green Bay on April 24 to start divvying up the latest crop of college talent.
Because more than 2 teams will be searching for a franchise quarterback, the door is open for those among a group of second-tier prospects to move up the draft board with strong performances at the upcoming Combine or one of this week’s postseason All-Star games.
ACC alumni Kyle McCord and Tyler Shough are among those who have already begun taking advantage of their opportunities.
McCord, the Ohio State transfer who rehabilitated his reputation by leading the ACC and setting several school records while guiding Syracuse to a surprising 10-win season, stood out during the week of practice leading up to the centennial East-West Shrine Bowl in Arlington, Tex.
McCord impressed the NFL talent evaluators on hand with his accuracy, especially on deep balls, along with his mechanics and decision-making both in the pocket and on the move. Although McCord chose not to play in the actual game on Thursday, won by East team 25-0, he did more than enough to improve his prospects.
“It wasn’t surprising he was clearly the top quarterback prospect in the field this past weekend,” NFL.com Draft analyst Chad Reuter wrote, citing the Syracuse quarterback’s college credentials. “In a draft lacking superior depth at the game’s most important position, McCord did what was required to wrap up a top-125 draft grade, possibly higher if he builds on this momentum through the pre-Draft process.”
Meanwhile at the Senior Bowl, Shough built on a successful season at Louisville with his selection as the top quarterback for the National team in workouts before Saturday’s game. That’s no small honor. The defensive backs he faced all week were the voters for the award. And one of the other quarterbacks on the National team was Heisman finalist Dillon Gabriel of Oregon.
Shough finally stayed healthy enough to play a full season for the Cardinals this season, a first in his 7-year college career that also included stops at Oregon and Texas Tech. He threw for 3,195 yards and 23 touchdowns with only 6 interceptions and impressed those watching him work out on-site in Mobile, Ala. Including representatives from all 32 NFL teams.
He completed 9-of-13 passes for 62 yards and a touchdown to Virginia Tech’s Da’Quan Felton in the game.
“He can spin the ball to every level of the field and shows mobility that teams will love,” ESPN’s Matt Miller wrote on Wednesday. “I still have Shough as a Day 3 quarterback. But performances like (this) could prompt some teams to fall in love.”
McCord and Shough weren’t the only ACC players making a positive impact at this week’s all-star games. Here’s a look at several others whose draft stock is on the rise because of their work at the Shrine and Senior bowls:
Elijah Roberts, Edge, SMU
The Mustangs star might have been overlooked by the voters who left him off all 3 All-ACC teams after a season in which he tied for fifth in the league with 7.5 sacks. But the 6-3, 295-pound edge rusher made sure he was noticed by the NFL scouts in Arlington with an impressive week of Shrine Bowl practices.
Garrett Podell of CBSSports.com described him as “an alien with the agility and tight movements he possesses of the line of scrimmage at his size,” adding that Roberts has “heavy hands and light feet, a deadly combo.”
Roberts continued his impressive week into Thursday’s game, where he recorded 2 tackles, 2 quarterback hurries and a sack of Cam Miller as one of the few bright spots for the West team’s defense.
Jackson Meeks, WR, Syracuse
Meeks’ big week in Arlington may have been aided by the chemistry he developed with his teammate McCord during their season together with the Orange. The transfer receiver, who came to Syracuse from Georgia along with coach Fran Brown, caught 77 passes for 1,020 yards and 7 touchdowns.
But he also opened a lot of eyes on his own with his efficient footwork on underneath routes, the speed to create separation on vertical patterns and the sure hands to make tough, contested catches. Although he had only 2 catches for 13 yards in the game, one of those catches came on a play in which recognized his quarterback, Miller, was scrambling out of the pocket, found an opening along the sideline and made a nice leaping catch for a first down late in the opening. His West team scored its first touchdown 2 plays later.
Meeks’ performance throughout the week helped him earn distinction as one of the Shrine Bowl “Players that made most money” by analyst Ian Valentino.
Elijah Arroyo, TE, Miami
Penn State’s Tyler Warren is getting most of the pre-draft buzz among tight ends and rightly so. The guy is a freak who can impact a game in so many ways. But Arroyo made a pitch to be one of the next tight ends to come off the board with a strong week of Senior Bowl practices.
Arroyo was already ranked among the top 50 prospects in this year’s class by NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah after a season in which he caught 35 passes for 590 yards and 7 touchdowns and recorded a 99.7 receiving grade against single coverage, according to Pro Football Focus. It’s a status he validated consistently with his performances in 1-on-1 drills against both linebackers and cornerbacks. He also excelled in blocking drills.
“I think he’s going to leave the Senior Bowl with some first-round buzz,” Jeremiah wrote. “We all knew about his size (6-4, 245) and speed before he arrived in Mobile. He showed that during his breakout season with Miami in 2024. The thing that stood out to me in practice this week was his route polish. He blocked well, too. The arrow is pointing all the way up here.”
Willie Lampkin, OG, North Carolina
NFL scouts don’t just love measurables. They live by them. That’s why Lampkin might just have been the biggest winner at either of this week’s postseason all-star games. At just 5-10, 270 pounds, he’s 3 inches shorter and has the 2nd-lowest weight of any offensive lineman at the Senior Bowl.
That lack of size would normally be a red flag that would send teams looking in another direction for help up front. Even with an overall grade of 84.8 by Pro Football Focus which ranked him No. 1 overall among power conference guards and a pass-blocking grade of 88.8 that was second-best nationally.
Lampkin is still facing an uphill battle of perception to not just get drafted, but to actually make an NFL roster because of his size. But his performance in Mobile showed the scouts what his measurables can’t. That he can hold his own against elite defensive tackles, as PFF’s Max Chadwick reports that he did against both Kentucky’s Deone Walker and Ole Miss’ Walter Nolen.
Quincy Riley, CB, Louisville
Riley seriously considered entering the Draft last year but decided instead to return to Louisville with hopes of improving his draft status. Mission accomplished. After putting together a strong regular season in which he led the Cardinals with 13 pass breakups and 2 interceptions, he raised his profile even more by showing out in Mobile.
It’s just his coverage skills and the plays he made on the ball during 1-on-1 drills that helped him stand out among a talented group of cornerbacks. He also impressed the scouts and other observers with his football IQ and leadership, as described by Dane Brugler of The Athletic.
“Another aspect of Riley’s week that was impressive was the way he coached up the other corners,” Brugler wrote. “When a player such as Darien Porter returned to the huddle, Riley pointed out different leverages and route tells to help him on his next rep. Riley’s combination of experience and quick-reaction skills will serve him well in the NFL.”
Award-winning columnist Brett Friedlander has covered the ACC and college basketball since the 1980s.
