Eagles Draft Pick Looks Forward To Making More Linc Memories

PHILADELPHIA – Jalen Hurts is the man, now. When Kyle McCord was growing up on the other side of the Walt Whitman Bridge in Mount Holly, N.J., Hurts was miles away, growing up in Houston. The two never would have crossed paths in their elementary years.

McCord had no idea who he was, because the “man” in Philly then? Donovan McNabb.

“McNabb was the man growing up, obviously,” said McCord. “Being a South Jersey kid, that was kind of my idol playing quarterback. Obviously, he was the hometown star.”

McCord is back in his hometown now after the Eagles picked the quarterback in the sixth round of the NFL Draft on Saturday.

“I got the call from the 215 area code,” said McCord. “It was a surreal moment, obviously. Growing up in the area, and being around a ton of Eagles fans, you always dream of being a quarterback on the Eagles. Obviously, any team could’ve have come and got me. So just a surreal moment. A lot of hard work was put in to get there. Just a great moment to share with all of them.”

Ironically, both McCord and McNabb went to Syracuse. It was only one year for McCord after he transferred there from Ohio State. The big difference - McNabb was the second overall pick; McCord 181.

McNabb may also be the best quarterback the Eagles ever had. It’s a constant debate who sits at the top of that heap. Hurts would probably be the leader at this point after being the only quarterback in team history to start two Super Bowls.

McCord hopes to make some memories in an Eagles uniform, the way he did as a prodigy QB from elementary school to attending St. Joseph’s Prep when he played in a halftime elementary school game when Temple was at home at Lincoln Financial Field and threw a touchdown pass and every year, he would go to Eagles games at the Linc. After leading St. Joseph’s Prep to the state championship, the team was given sideline passes before one Eagles game.

“A lot of great memories, and I’m looking forward to making some more,” he said.

This is Hurts’ show, but maybe McCord can earn the top backup job, ahead of Tanner McKee. Then who knows after that?

"What you see with Kyle is just his mind works very fast out there on the football field," said head coach Nick Sirianni. "He makes good quick decisions with the football. Accurate passer, led the country in passing yards this past season, but what really stands out again is just how quickly he moves through progressions and how quickly his mind works."

He said the Eagles have the best quarterback room in the league and he has been working out these past few months with another Eagles quarterback, Dorian Thompson-Robinson.

McCord has been in this situation before, though. He sat for two years behind C.J. Stroud at Ohio State, before Stroud went on to take the NFL by storm in his first season, winning the AP Rookie of the Year Award.

“Looking back on it now, it’s probably the best thing that could’ve happened to me as a young quarterback, being able to sit behind a guy like (Stroud), and pick his brain, see how he prepares and how he goes about his business throughout the week, and how he carries himself through the highs and lows,” said McCord. “That was great for me to see as a young guy.

"I’m looking forward to doing the same thing here. Obviously, Jalen is the guy, and he’s going to be a great mentor, and someone I’m going to try to mimic. Obviously, he’s had a lot of success in the league, and it’s not by accident.”