Kyle McCord’s Missing Piece: The Single Fix That Changes Everything
The Two Types of Backup Quarterbacks: Why Arm Strength Might Be the Only Thing Holding Kyle McCord Back
The Two Backup QB Profiles Worth Having
When NFL teams look for a backup quarterback, they usually want one of two very different styles:
Profile 1: The Hyper-Athlete (Malik Willis Type)
- Extremely mobile and shifty — can make plays with his legs
- If forced into the game, he can do something even when the play breaks down
- Bonus: Willis also has a cannon for an arm, which is why he’s now getting a chance to start
Profile 2: The Precision Pocket Passer (Kyle McCord Type)
- Doesn’t run much, but does the "hard stuff" exceptionally well
- Extremely accurate with elite-level ball placement
- Stands tall under pressure and knows when to step up in the pocket
- Smart decision-maker with a great "inner clock" (gets rid of the ball fast)
- Trusts himself to make big throws when it matters
IMPORTANT POINT
Most backup quarterbacks fail because they’re bad at the hard things — reading defenses, handling pressure, placing the ball accurately. Kyle McCord is rare because he’s great at those things. His only real flaw? Raw arm strength.
Meet Kyle McCord: The Guy Who Does Everything Right (Except Throw Hard)
McCord played at Ohio State (where great receivers make QBs look good) and at Syracuse (where he had to do more on his own). In both spots, his accuracy and ball placement stood out.
What McCord does well:
- Elite-level accuracy and ball placement
- Unafraid of pressure — steps up in the pocket at the right time
- Can move enough to pick up a first down when needed
- Trusts his arm to make tight-window throws
- Incredible "inner clock" — pressure-to-sack ratio under 20% even at Syracuse
The one problem: His arm is… average.
Scouting expert Dane Brugler (writing for The Athletic’s "The Beast") put it politely:
"Solid arm talent — throws with adequate velocity and adds some arc when needed"
Translation: He can’t drive the ball downfield with zip. And in the NFL, that’s often the difference between a starter and a career backup.
The Arm Strength Problem: Football’s Missing Data
Here’s something crazy: Baseball tracks every pitcher’s velocity down to the decimal. We know exactly how hard Jacob Misiorowski throws (101+ mph). We have public leaderboards for fastball speed, spin rate, and movement.
Football? We’re guessing.
- We know Josh Allen has a cannon
- But is Jordan Love’s arm better than Jared Goff’s?
- Is Jayden Daniels stronger than Jaxson Dart?
- For the middle of the pack? Nobody has real data.
The author uses baseball’s 20–80 scouting scale to grade QB arms:
- 50 = Average NFL starter arm
- 35–45 = Backup range
- Tua Tagovailoa and Brock Purdy = Weakest arms among current starters (~40 grade)
- Kyle McCord = Right there with Tua and Purdy
KEY INSIGHT
Tua and Purdy survive with below-average arms because they have the fastest releases in the league. McCord doesn’t have that quick release — and speeding up his mechanics might ruin his accuracy.
How Baseball Fixed This (And Why Football Should Copy It)
The Driveline Revolution
About a decade ago, baseball facilities like Driveline Baseball started using science-backed training to increase pitching velocity:
- Weighted ball programs (throwing heavier/lighter balls to build arm speed)
- Biomechanical analysis (optimizing body movement for max power)
- Intent-based training (throwing with max effort safely)
The result?
Almost every MLB pitcher now sits in the mid-90s
Velocity has jumped across the entire league
It’s not just freaks like 104-mph Jacob Misiorowski — it’s systematic improvement
Why This Works for Football Too
Throwing a football isn’t identical to throwing a baseball, but the physics of arm speed are the same. There’s no practical reason quarterbacks can’t use:
- Weighted football programs
- Mechanical optimization
- Intent-based max-effort throwing sessions
Yet almost no QBs do this. The "Kyle McCords of the world" — smart, accurate, pressure-proof guys held back only by arm strength — should be first in line.
Why McCord Is a Unique "Fixable" Prospect
Most quarterbacks with flaws have multiple flaws:
- Bad accuracy AND bad decision-making AND bad pocket presence
McCord has ONE flaw: Arm strength.
And arm strength is the only QB trait with a proven training remedy.
| Trait | Can It Be Improved Significantly? |
|---|---|
| Accuracy | Very hard to change |
| Processing speed | Mostly innate |
| Pocket feel | Some improvement possible |
| Arm strength | YES — proven in baseball |
McCord already does the truly difficult things at a starter level. If he adds 3–5 mph of velocity over an offseason or two? He crosses the starter threshold.
What to Watch For
The author will be tracking McCord closely:
- Can he stick on an NFL roster? (Competent backup is his floor)
- Does he pursue velocity training? (The game-changer)
- Can an offseason or two push him to starter caliber? (Very possible)
THE BOTTOM LINE
Kyle McCord has the brain, accuracy, and poise of an NFL starter. Arm strength is the only thing missing — and it’s the one thing modern sports science knows how to fix. If he (or his team) treats it like a pitcher treats velocity, a backup could become a starter.
Summary
- Two ideal backup types: Hyper-athlete (Willis) or precision passer (McCord)
- McCord’s superpower: Elite accuracy, pocket poise, pressure management, and decision-making
- McCord’s kryptonite: Below-average arm strength (similar to Tua/Purdy, but without their quick release)
- Football lacks public arm-strength data — unlike baseball, where velocity is tracked religiously
- Baseball’s Driveline revolution proved velocity can be trained systematically
- No reason QBs can’t do the same — weighted balls, mechanical tweaks, intent-based throwing
- McCord is the perfect candidate: One fixable flaw, all other starter traits already present
- Watch this space: If McCord commits to arm training, a backup career could turn into a starting job
FAQ
What is the 20–80 scouting scale?
It’s a baseball grading system where 50 = major league average, 20 = worst, 80 = elite. Each 10-point jump represents one standard deviation. The author applies it to QB arms: starters need ~50, backups 35–45.
Why can’t McCord just throw faster naturally?
Arm velocity is largely genetic (tendon stiffness, bone structure, fast-twitch fibers). But training can squeeze more out of what you have — just like pitchers gain 3–5 mph through weighted-ball programs.
Would speeding up McCord’s release help instead?
Maybe — but Tua and Purdy have naturally lightning-fast releases. Forcing a quicker release often wrecks accuracy and timing. Training arm strength is safer and more reliable.
Has any NFL QB actually done this?
Not publicly or systematically. A few (like Allen, Mahomes) have worked with baseball-style coaches, but there’s no league-wide "velocity program" like Driveline for pitchers. It’s a massive untapped edge.
Is arm strength really that important?
For a starter, yes — you need to threaten the whole field. Defenses cheat underneath if they know you can’t hit deep outs or seams. For a backup, you can survive with less (see: Matt Flynn, Scott Tolzien) — but you’ll never start.