Brandon Cisse Scouting Report
By: Michael Higgins
(Image courtesy of Katie Dugan/Gamecock Central)
School: South Carolina
Class: Junior
Position: CB
HT: 6’0
WT: 189 lbs
Background: Brandon Cisse was a consensus 3-star cornerback out of Sumter, South Carolina. He has a younger brother, Cedric, who is also on the South Carolina football team. Brandon was a top 50 cornerback and top 10 player in the state in the 2023 class. He played both cornerback and wide receiver for Lakewood High School, tallying 13 pass breakups as a senior. Cisse also competed in track & field and basketball for Lakewood. Out of high school, Cisse committed to NC State over Georgia Tech, Georgia State, and USF.
College: Brandon spent 2 seasons with the Wolfpack, spending 2023 as a reserve before becoming a prominent member of the secondary in 2024. As a sophomore for the Wolfpack, Cisse tallied 28 tackles and 5 pass breakups. Ahead of his junior year, Cisse transferred to South Carolina, where he started all 12 games that year. He tallied 5 pass breakups in his one season for the Gamecocks.
Strengths: Brandon Cisse is an explosive athlete. He has one of the best athletic profiles that you can find at the cornerback position. Cisse can climb the ladder to get aggressive at the catchpoint and make a play on the football. His athletic ability and speed allow him to be more physical with wide receivers throughout the route. He can get aggressive and if he loses a step in the process, he has the recovery speed to make up for it. Cisse breaks on the football in a hurry. He can be seen consistently breaking up passes with either hard contact or by getting his hands in the throwing window. Cisse is an aggressive and effective run defender. He is often deployed closer to the box in run defense, which is rare for a cornerback.
Weaknesses: Cisse does not have the ideal frame for a boundary cornerback in the modern day NFL. Bigger receivers on the boundary who can match his strength give Brandon issues. Cisse does not make plays on the football consistently enough. He struggles getting his head around to look in the football.
Conclusion: Cisse does not profile as a boundary cornerback. He may be better served as a safety or a nickel who can shut down the slot and play in the box to use his natural athleticism. He can also be utilized in a STAR role and be deployed anywhere on the field as a “jack of all trades” type of player.
Best Team Fits: NYJ, BUF, KC
Player Comparison: Jalen Pitre
Player Grade: Round 2 (87.6)
