Beyond his elite 41-inch vertical and speed, Brandon Cisse is flashing the raw athleticism and fearless aggression necessary to anchor the Green Bay Packers' secondary for a long time.
The expectations are high for Green Bay Packers' rookie cornerback Brandon Cisse heading into the 2026 season.
There's a reason the Packers selected Cisse with pick No. 52 in the 2026 NFL Draft. Yes, he was a second-rounder, but he was technically their first pick because they didn't have a selection in Round 2.
General manager Brian Gutekunst could have gone in several different directions with that pick because the Packers did have several different needs. Gutekunst could have also drafted a different corner in that spot. Still on the board were players like Davison Igbinosun from Ohio State and Tacario Davis from Washington.
The Packers liked what they saw in Cisse coming out of South Carolina. The numbers in terms of interceptions (one) and passes defended (five) didn't look elite, but his athleticism and the intangibles did.
Checking in at 6-foot, 189 pounds, he notched a 41-inch vertical jump and a 10-foot-11 inch broad jump. He also ran a 4.41-second 40-yard dash at his Pro Day, and in OTAs, head coach Matt LaFleur made it clear that Cisse's athleticism was already on display.
"Until you get the pads, you never truly know," LaFleur had said. "But in terms of just athletically, there's no doubt he has the skill set."
They have wildly different perspectives, but it's worth noting that team reporter Mike Spofford saw some good things from Cisse in the offseason program as well.
"Our exposure to him has been limited thus far, but I love his aggressiveness," Spofford recently wrote. "Initially, he strikes me as a dude that never backs down, and that's needed at his position."
Ultimately, it's LaFleur that has the best perspective on what Cisse can offer as a rookie. It's easy to look good in shorts and a t-shirt during OTAs. Heck, we could find the most athletically-gifted PackersRoundtable reader and throw them out there on the field during the offseason program and they would at the very least look like they belong.
Keep in mind, even guys on the practice squad in the NFL are the elite of the elite when it comes to athleticism.
LaFleur is correct in saying that what a football player does when the pads are on is really the indication of who they are between the white lines. You can even take it a step further and say that the only thing that matters is what happens when the games are for real. We've seen plenty of training camp heroes fizzle out by the time the regular season rolls around.
In terms of traits that will serve Cisse well as a rookie, though, you can't help but be excited by the words "athleticism" and "aggressiveness".
He'll be able to control so little as a rookie in the NFL, but he can control how he plays, and his natural athleticism will help him adjust quicker than a corner who is naturally a step behind.
Ultimately, being a cornerback is more than just being a great athlete and not being afraid to get after the football, but it's worth noting that those two traits were possessed by every elite cornerback in NFL history.
Will it pan out for Cisse and the Packers? That answer will come with time.
So far so good, though, and that's all you can ask for in early July.
PackersRoundtable also offers a fan community and message board. We’d love to have you join us to talk all things Packers. Click the “Join” button at the top of the page to join our community for free.
