The Green Bay Packers selected South Carolina cornerback Brandon Cisse with the No. 52 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. With no first-round pick this year, Cisse was Green Bay’s first selection.
The Packers came into the draft needing to address corner, and Cisse appears to be a formidable addition. A starter at both NC State and South Carolina, he finished his college career with 65 total tackles, 10 pass breakups, and two interceptions.
At 5-11, 189 pounds, with a relative athletic score of 9.24, Cisse aligns well with what the team covets at the position in terms of size and athleticism. Meanwhile, his aggressive approach in the run game will also add a tenacious element to Green Bay’s corner room. With projected starters Keisean Nixon and Carrington Valentine both coming off inconsistent seasons, Cisse is entering a situation where he can compete for snaps right away.
Here are some scouting reports on Cisse from the top draft experts:
A one-year starter at South Carolina (and two-year starter overall), Cisse was primarily an outside cornerback in defensive coordinator Clayton White’s scheme. He played two seasons at NC State before moving to the Gamecocks as a junior. He posted mediocre production (five passes defended, one interception), and he was part of a rotation on several 2025 tapes, averaging just 41 defensive snaps per game. An explosive athlete, Cisse plays with excess burst and speed to fly to the football. He tends to declare his hips early and relies too heavily on his athleticism rather than his technique or anticipation, leading to coverage losses. When he finds the football, he is capable of impressive athletic feats to knock it away, but he needs to be more consistent with his body phasing to shrink catch windows. Despite needing to clean things up in the run game, his downhill toughness is great to see. Overall, Cisse is an unrefined, promising cover athlete with the twitched-up movements and speed to become an NFL starter. However, his pro ceiling will be determined by the development of his route recognition and ball skills. He offers inside-outside versatility with special teams (gunner) upside.
Teams will be willing to take a chance on Cisse’s explosive athleticism and upside, but a refinement runway might be needed to smooth some of the rougher edges. He’s scheme-versatile in coverage and is an A-rated run supporter. Work ethic and athletic testing will work in his favor. However, a lack of instincts and break anticipation could cost him in coverage against quality route runners. His press will become a more effective weapon with technical work and his route recognition should improve with more reps. Cisse’s traits and competitiveness are clear selling points, but a lack of on-ball production and coverage consistency create a more volatile floor.
Cisse is a fast, twitchy cover corner. He primarily lined up outside at South Carolina. He usually played with his back turned to the sideline, allowing him to see through the wideout to the quarterback. He plays with vision, which allows him to use his elite speed to close space and make plays on the ball. He is a loose, fluid athlete. He’s not physical in press coverage, though. He carries his hands low and relies on his quick feet to mirror and match. I’d like to see him play with more aggression against the run. He gave up some plays in the games I studied, but it appeared to be more of a focus issue than any physical limitation.
Cisse was a one-year starter with erratic tape and underwhelming production, but he has an intriguing skill set as a developmental prospect. He’s at his best in press coverage and has the strength to reroute receivers and the frame to smother them at the top of the route. He didn’t run at the combine, but he flashes a strong recovery burst on tape, he closes well, and he can jump routes when he makes quick reads.
His tape raises questions about his ability to recognize route combinations. At times, he has choppy footwork, he doesn’t sink his hips or change directions well enough, and he has poor timing and arrives too early when breaking on a pass. He can also be late getting lined up and get caught out of position.
His 41-inch vertical jump is excellent for a corner, but he loses too many 50-50 balls (though he has the frame to improve in this area). He’s often late locating the ball in press coverage. His hands are small, and he intercepted two passes in college. He mistimed his jump and made a basket catch for his lone interception in 2025.
He’s an above-average run defender who sheds and slips blocks. He aggressively knifes his way into the backfield, wraps low, and takes ballcarriers’ legs out.
This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: What draft experts said about new Packers cornerback Brandon Cisse