2024 is a big season for Syracuse football, especially at the quarterback position. The landing of Kyle McCord from Ohio State has SU fans buzzing with hope for a high-powered offense. After all, he is the first 3,000 yard passer the Orange have had in over a decade. But one thing stands out when looking at this roster, what’s the plan at signal caller for the coming years?
As of right now, the depth chart currently sits with McCord at QB1, and some familiar faces backing him up. Redshirt junior Carlos Del Rio-Wilson is slotted as QB2, but that doesn’t resound confidence in Syracuse fans. Rio-Wilson’s anemic performance last season against Boston College doesn’t have many hopeful that he could be a viable option for the future. Sophomore Braden Davis sits behind him, who was a three-star recruit out of high school and got an opportunity to showcase his skill in the Boca Raton Bowl blowout to end 2023. SU did land FAU transfer Michael Johnson Jr, so there is still competition for that official spot.
This shows some cause for concern. Why? It’s very likely this season that McCord may take some shots sitting back in the pocket, as escaping pressure using his legs isn’t one of his strong suits. If there were to be an injury at some point this season, would either backup give enough confidence to Fran Brown to make throws and win a football game? Only time will tell on that front.
But what about on the recruiting front? Fran Brown and company have shown a strong ability to land top recruits thus far. As of now, Syracuse is ranked with a top 40 class for both 2024 and 2025. However, the ‘Cuse have only inked two quarterbacks in those classes, both of which rank at a three-star or below according to 247 Sports (Jakhari Williams, GA, Luke Carney, TX). There have been some efforts by SU to improve on that front, as it recently hosted 2025 four-star Malik Washington for a visit. That ship may have sailed however, as 247 has declared its “crystal ball” that Washington will be heading to Maryland.
There’s a lot of time before this is an issue, and all eyes are locked in on McCord and company heading into the 2024 campaign. As the season progresses, it may be something to monitor on whether the future at QB at Syracuse is a strong one.
