The Green Bay Packers made their first selection of the 2026 NFL Draft, and it's a move that has fans buzzing. With the 52nd overall pick, general manager Brian Gutekunst addressed a key need by drafting cornerback Brandon Cisse out of South Carolina. After a long wait on Day 2, Packers faithful finally got the secondary reinforcement they've been hoping for—and it looks like excellent value, as Cisse was ranked 44th on the expert consensus board.
At just 20 years old, Cisse brings youth and promise to Green Bay's defensive backfield. His college career spanned three seasons, split between NC State and South Carolina, but it was his 2025 campaign that really turned heads. That year, he racked up five pass breakups, an interception, a forced fumble, and allowed a passer rating of just 78.9 when targeted. Those numbers suggest a player who can disrupt passing lanes and create turnovers—exactly what the Packers need.
What likely caught Gutekunst's eye, though, was Cisse's athletic profile. Standing just under six feet tall and weighing 189 pounds, he's built for the modern NFL cornerback role. His pre-draft testing was impressive: a 4.41-second 40-yard dash, a 41-inch vertical leap, and a broad jump of 10 feet 11 inches. That explosive athleticism earned him a Relative Athletic Score (RAS) of 9.24 out of 10.00, ranking him 234th out of 3,075 cornerbacks tested since 1987. For context, that's elite company.
When you watch the tape, Cisse's physical tools jump off the screen. He combines speed, agility, and competitive toughness—traits that could help him develop into a starting-caliber NFL cornerback. After the draft, I took a closer look at his performances against Vanderbilt and Virginia Tech to break down his strengths and areas for growth. The good news? Many of his current weaknesses are fixable with coaching. The bad news? If they're not addressed, they could become costly at the pro level.
One of the most notable coverage deficiencies is his tendency to get caught flat-footed on double moves, which can leave him trailing receivers. However, his recovery speed is top-notch, and he shows a knack for closing gaps quickly. For a player this young, that's a promising foundation. As he refines his technique and gains experience, Cisse has the potential to become a key piece in Green Bay's secondary for years to come.