The Green Bay Packers selected South Carolina cornerback Brandon Cisse in the second round (No. 52 overall) of the 2026 NFL draft.

Breakdown: Played two seasons at NC State before transferring to South Carolina. Young (20 years old), fast (4.41) and explosive perimeter corner with elite physical ability, including recovery speed and reactive quickness, creating immense pro potential. Made only 21 collegiate starts, so a developmental pathway is required to maximize the gifts. Only 189 pounds but a fearless defender who can beat blocks and disrupt perimeter runs and screens, although tackling is hit or miss. The Packers believe he can play outside or in the slot. Limited ball production (12 PDs, 2 INTs) but gave up only 18 total catches and 47.5 percent completion percentage in coverage in 2025.

Brennen Rupp prospect profile: Brandon CissePackers Wire film room: Brandon Cisse

Dane Brugler’s scouting report: "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."Daniel Jeremiah's scouting report: "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."

Lance Zierlein's scouting report: "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."

Pro Football Sports Network: "Brandon Cisse is a young and ascending cornerback prospect who declared for the 2026 NFL Draft after a standout 2025 campaign that saw him earn a PFSN CB Impact grade of 80.9. Cisse will be just 21 years old as a rookie, and his coverage mobility is a massive strength; these two factors alone make him a viable early-round prospect. At 6'0", 190 pounds, with functional length, Cisse is an exceedingly explosive, springy, and nimble mover with propulsive hip sink and elite short-area energy. He's quick to react, with swarming lateral explosive range, and inspiring route vision in off-man and zone. Going further, he flashes high-level coordination as a catch-point playmaker, and he's extremely competitive in support. Where Cisse stands to improve the most is in press-man -- his timing and upper-lower sync are inconsistent -- and he can also be prone to biting on double-moves working with cushion. That said, all of the physical tools and the temperament qualities are there to support Cisse's continued ascent toward becoming an impact NFL starter."

They said it: "He's one of the few guys that can play off man, can play press. His suddenness through transition is something that stood out to us. He's very young, we think his best football is ahead of him. We think he's got so much left in the tank not only as a player but physically as well, he'll get bigger and stronger…really like the fact that he took the step and went to South Carolina last year, better competition, and really showed well this past year." -- GM Brian Gutekunst

This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Green Bay Packers 2026 second-round pick: CB Brandon Cisse