From now until the 2026 NFL Draft, we will scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top-10 picks, down to Day 3 selections and priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on South Carolina CB Brandon Cisse.
No. 15 Brandon Cisse/CB South Carolina – 5116, 189 pounds (Junior)
MEASUREMENTS
Player Ht/Wt Hand Size Arm Length Wingspan
Brandon Cisse 5116/189 8 1/2 30 3/4 N/A
40-Yard Dash 10-Yard Dash Short Shuttle 3-Cone
N/A N/A N/A N/A
Broad Jump Vertical Bench Press
N/A N/A N/A
THE GOOD
– Well-built corner with bulk
– Physical press player who jams and reroutes receivers off the line
– Plays with an aggressive mentality
– Good athlete who can turn and run, shows great straight-line speed when asked to open it up
– Willing tackler and run supporter
– With correct footwork, shows the ability to close and finish
– Experience playing left/right side of the field, early career work in slot, and occasional safety reps during career
– Played in a versatile scheme with a variety of assignments, including blitzing
– Young with upside
The Bad
– Average frame with below-average length and small hands
– Aggression can burn him, waits until the last moment to open up his hips, and is prone to getting beaten vertically
– Too grabby and too much contact, leading to penalties
– Won’t always wrap as a tackler
– Footwork needs to be cleaned up to transition quicker on in-breaking routes
– Must improve eye discipline to key run/pass and read routes, takes himself out of position too often
– Inconsistent coverage tape and feels like he’s still learning nuances of the position, especially on the outside
– Rotated in and out of the lineup in 2025
– Limited ball production
– Nagging injuries and wasn’t a full-time starter, limiting playing time
Stats
– Career: 65 tackles (3 TFL), 10 PDs, 2 INTs, 1 FF across 34 games
– 2025: 27 tackles (1.5 TFL). 5 PDs, 1 INT
– 991 career defensive snaps, 491 in 2025
– Career: 641 outside CB snaps, 214 in slot (110 coming as a freshman in 2023)
– 2025 snaps: 408 outside CB, 35 slot, 32 box
– PFF’s No. 79 overall CB in 2025 of 273 qualifiers (No. 126 in coverage, No. 9 run defense, No. 110 tackling)
– 163 career special teams snaps
– Six career penalties (three in 2025 on 269 coverage snaps)
– Missed tackle rate jumped from 3.4 percent in 2024 to 14.3 percent in 2025
– 78.9 QB rating when targeted in 2025
– 37 tackles, 2 FFs, 1 INT as HS senior; played WR junior year and caught 22 passes
Injury History
– 2024: upper body injury after a late hit by a UNC lineman
– 2024: missed three games with wrist injury
– 2024: suffered injury against La Tech, on the field for several minutes, but didn’t miss the following week
– 2025: knee injury in October against LSU, but played the following week
– 2025: upper body injury against South Carolina State and didn’t finish the game
– 2025: didn’t finish game against Texas A&M due to an unknown injury
Bio
– Turns 21 in July 2026
– Three-star recruit from Sumter, South Carolina
– Chose NC State over App State, South Florida, Marshall, and other Group of Five programs
– Spent 2023-2024 at NC State, transferred to South Carolina for the 2025 season
– Elected to transfer after Wolfpack DC Tony Gibson left for the Marshall HC job and co-DC Freddie Aughtry-Lindsay departed
– Chose South Carolina to play in the SEC, return home, had a good relationship with DBs Coach Torrian Gray, and father also attended South Carolina
– Played basketball and was on the track team in high school (11.12 in 100m, 22.09 in 200m)
– Brother, Cedric, joined South Carolina in 2025 as a DB
– Last name pronounced “C-say”
– Teammates nicknamed him “Glitch” for his speed and tempo
– HC Shane Beamer calls him “football junkie” and praises his IQ, highlighting his versatility and comparing him to former Gamecock DB Cam Smith
– Once said he ran 4.45 out of high school
Tape Breakdown
Brandon Cisse hasn’t played much football as a three-year college player fighting to stay healthy and jockeying for playing time, but he’s got plenty of talent and room to grow. He’s a well-built, impressive athlete with versatility and a good work ethic.
Similar to Tennessee’s Colton Hood, Cisse is at his best when he can get his hands on receivers at and off the line of scrimmage. Here are some examples. Cisse is at the top of the screen in the TV angle clips and on the left side in the All-22 view.
Cisse is a willing tackler and run defender, too.
But he’s raw and grabby. He didn’t have a ton of penalties, but also didn’t play many snaps. He’s prone to getting beaten vertically, often resulting in penalties. Because he opens his hips late, receivers gain a step on him. He wasn’t beaten on the second clip, but that aggression will get you cooked at the NFL level.
His footwork and eyes need cleaning up, too. In the first clip, he’s locked on the quarterback but loses the route. In the second, at the bottom of the screen, he doesn’t key the run. The receiver stalk-blocks him as the back runs past for a touchdown.
Cisse’s also missed a frustrating amount of time. A lot of smaller injuries piled up. Transferring to South Carolina, he battled for playing time in 2025, and it wasn’t always consistent or full-time. His evaluation is lighter and thus, a little harder.
Conclusion
Overall, Brandon Cisse has impressive physical tools. But he’s yet to turn 21 and has holes in his game that need cleaning up. He’s far from a finished product. For a player speculated to be taken in the Top 50, that’s an increased amount of risk. He’ll need to show the mental toughness to handle potentially difficult early seasons. The reward, though, is certainly there.
My NFL comp is Trent McDuffie.
NFL Projection: Late Day One-Early Day Two
Steelers Depot Draft Grade: 8.1 (Longtime Starter)
Grade Range: 7.2-8.6
Games Watched: vs Vanderbilt (2025), vs LSU (2025), vs Alabama (2025), at Texas A&M (2025)
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