“He looks just like Andy Dalton” - Dan Orlovsky compares Kyle McCord with former Bengals QB ahead of draft

Former NFL quarterback Dan Orlovsky had an interesting comparison for Syracuse's Kyle McCord ahead of the NFL Draft. Orlovsky took to his official X account with his analysis of McCord's game tape against Georgia Tech.

Orlovksy called McCord's performance "flawless" before comparing it with former Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton. He then predicted a second or third-round draft position for McCord.

McCord wrapped up a senior season with Syracuse in which he passed for 4,779 yards, 34 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. He had spent the first three seasons of his collegiate career with Ohio State University before transferring to Syracuse for his senior season. He helped the Orange finish with a 10-3 overall record in the ACC, which was good enough for fourth in the conference.

Under McCord's leadership, Syracuse made it to a bowl game appearance, defeating Washington State 52-35 in the Holiday Bowl. Now, McCord will take the next step in his playing career as he ventures into the NFL. As for Orlovsky's comparison to Dalton, it's certainly an interesting one. Dalton played his college ball for Texas Christian University. He was selected by the Bengals in the second round of the 2011 NFL Draft.

After nine seasons with the Bengals, Dalton continued his career as a backup quarterback for most of the remainder of his run. He spent time with teams such as the Chicago Bears, New Orleans Saints, and the Carolina Panthers.

Dalton signed a two-year extension with the Panthers in February, which will keep him as the designated backup for Bryce Young for the foreseeable future.

Kyle McCord thrived after transfer from Ohio State to Syracuse

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Speaking during an interview earlier this week, McCord opened up about his decision to transfer from Ohio State to Syracuse. McCord admitted that he didn't anticipate transferring at all and that everything happened on short notice.

“I mean, I was not anticipating leaving Ohio State after the season—kind of happened on short notice,” McCord said.

The move proved to be a great one for McCord, who was able to play in a system with Syracuse in which he aired out the football. It allowed McCord to show off his arm skills and resulted in a great year for the signal-caller as he'd admit himself.

“Obviously, throwing about 40, 50 times a game as a QB is a dream come true,” McCord said. “Surrounded by a lot of great coaches, a lot of great players. It was a great year."

The 2025 NFL Draft will be at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin, from Thursday, April 24 to Saturday, April 26.