Fueled by raw athleticism and a persistent chip on his shoulder, high-upside rookie Brandon Cisse embraces the Green Bay Packers' demanding coaching style to navigate the NFL’s brutal learning curve.
The Green Bay Packers feel like they have a potential CB1 on their hands in Brandon Cisse.
That's why they selected him No. 52 overall in the 2026 NFL Draft. He didn't necessarily put up CB1 numbers in two seasons at North Carolina State and one season at South Carolina, but the intangibles were evident every time he stepped on the field.
"Each game that you see, he just caught your eye and you're like, 'OK, we need to pay attention to this dude,'" Packers national scout Mike Owen said after the team selected Cisse in April.
What are those intangibles?
Well, the athleticism is clearly there. He recorded a 4.41-second 40-yard dash and a 41-inch vertical jump leading up to the draft.
Owen also noted a toughness that he discovered in Cisse.
"You could still see he's got that chip on his shoulder. He still holds it today. I hope he carries it on as he's in the NFL," the scout said.
And now Cisse is in the NFL, for better or worse. He's been working through OTAs and minicamp with the Packers, and the initial reactions have all been positive.
Cisse isn't perfect, though, and he knows it. He also seems to already understand that being a rookie cornerback in the NFL is a tough job. He's got a lot to learn and there's going to be some failure ahead of him before he's able to turn the corner and become a successful NFL starter.
That's why he's taking his lumps now, and he recently revealed that much of the heat has come from new Green Bay defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon.
“He’s super tough on me, but that’s something I embrace," Cisse said, according to Wendell Ferreira. "It’s tough love. Even when I do make plays, he’s super excited, and he’s going to get on me in the film room. He may cuss me out, but it’s all out of love. He’s just a great coach, and I couldn’t ask for somebody better who’s really invested in me.”
And therein lies the key for Cisse as a rookie corner in the NFL.
There will be tough waters ahead, but he's got to lean on the people around him who are specifically there to help him take it to the next level.
One of those people is Gannon, and the 43-year-old former head coach of the Arizona Cardinals clearly has no desire to coddle Cisse just because he was the Packers' top selection in this past draft.
What would be harder for Cisse, though? Getting burnt in a film session, or getting burnt by Justin Jefferson?
Both may come, but as long as Cisse is taking the criticism constructively and getting better, he has a shot to take taht elite athleticism of his and become something special for Green Bay.
Green Bay Packers Brandon Cisse (2) participates in mandatory minicamp Thursday, June 11, 2026, at the Don Hutson Center in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin.At the very least, here in the early going, the 52nd pick has the right attitude.
“Even when I am performing great, I still want to be critiqued on everything that I’m doing wrong because that’s just kind of how I am,” Cisse said. “I’m not necessarily a perfectionist, but I like playing at a high level. I want to be in those kinds of positions, so that’s something I thrive on. Even if I make a good play, [Gannon] probably isn’t going to show the good play. He’s going to show all the other clips where I probably didn’t have good footwork or something like that. That’s what comes with it, and I’m excited for somebody to challenge me like that.”
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.
