Cornerback Brandon Cisse has Concerning 2024 Game Film

When I heard Todd McShay say on the Todd McShay Show, South Carolina cornerback Brandon Cisse, “Might be cornerback one (CB1),” I knew I had to do the work on Cisse.

McShay is someone I pay attention to when it comes to “draft buzz.”

This meant going back and studying every single snap Cisse participated in during the 2024 season for NC State before transferring to South Carolina in January.

How did he look?

Disappointing.

Maybe he improved in 2025 for South Carolina; perhaps that’s what McShay is referring to, but I wasn’t seeing it on his 2024 game film.

What did I see?

An inconsistent and injury-prone prospect.

His best game was against Stanford.

But, “CB1” in the 2026 NFL Draft?

I’m nowhere near that take.

Pass coverage observations

Cisse looked “best” covering straight-line deep vertical routes. The only problem was the inconsistent technique. I charted that he didn’t turn his head and look for the ball three out of seven times when it was in the air.

That leads me to the next concern ⎯

Cisse tended to play the ball rather than the receiver. He had to “see it to react to it.” If he doesn’t get this fixed, this is going to be a nightmare for him in the NFL against polished receivers running routes with double moves.

I also didn’t like his numerous late reactions in coverage.

Reception percentage

What did it all translate to? How did receivers do against Cisse in 2024?

Per Pro Football Focus:

• 14 receptions
• 27 targets

This equals out to Cisse allowing the ball to be caught 51.9% of the time when he was “targeted.”

Support

Cisse is clearly able to come up and thump someone. The problem is he is too calculated. He’s too reluctant. I mean, he’ll do it if he has to, but he’d rather not.

He’s the type who tends to end up more around the pile and in the television picture rather than the guy who’s making the play.

This is an issue because I liked him better inside at nickel than at an outside cornerback spot, but in the NFL, nickel defenders have to be more than willing to provide support.

This doesn’t describe Cisse.

Injury magnet

Cisse missed three games in 2024 due to a wrist injury (Greenville News).

In addition ⎯

These three video clips are from three of the nine games Cisse played during the 2024 season:

Vs. Louisiana Tech

Vs. Duke

Vs. North Carolina

#2 Brandon Cisse (his jersey number at NC State) 6-foot-0, 190 pounds

Daniel Kelly’s 2025 Fall Grade: Fourth-Round (I wouldn’t select him)

M (Medical)

Projected by NFL Mock Draft Database to be a First Round prospect as of December 7, 2025

2024 game film evaluated: W. Carolina, Tennessee, Louisiana Tech, Clemson, N. Illinois, Stanford, Duke, Georgia Tech, and North Carolina (click to view games watched to form this evaluation)

2024 ESPN Stats: 28 tackles (15 solo), 5 passes defended, 0 sacks, and 0 interceptions

2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report

Raw compact cornerback. Long arms. Decent athleticism. Offers positional versatility. Lined up at the outside corner, nickel and some at safety. Played press man, off-man, and zone. Decent football IQ. Inconsistent coverage of screens while at nickel. Showed some good get-up-and-go on deep vertical routes vs. outside receivers. Maintains above-average straight line speed. Didn’t show short-area burst to the ball. Best when he could keep the action in front of him. Flashed “make up speed” on long touchdown run vs. Stanford. Could be moved off his coverage by a physical tight-end when lined up in nickel. Lightweight taking on blocks in support. Decent tackler but not reliable. Takes questionable angles to the ball. Takes foot off the gas too soon on some runs. Football doesn’t seem that important to him. Capable of more than he shows overall. Better second half than the first half of the season. Flashed “twitchy” movements.

What to watch for during the 2025 college football season

1. Looking back for the ball consistently on deep passes?

2. Playing the man or the ball?

3. Staying healthy?

Daniel Kelly is a former NFL Scout with the New York Jets. He was hired on the regime which featured Bill Parcells, Bill Belichick, Scott Pioli, Mike Tannenbaum, and Dick Haley. He is currently the Editor-in-Chief for First Round Mock, and has written for Sports Illustrated (Lions, Jets, and 49ers), NFL Draft Diamonds, and Yardbarker, as well as a featured guest on ESPN Radio and Fox Sports Radio. Featured in USA Today. For more information about him visit his website at whateverittakesbook.com. Follow on Twitter @firstroundmock.