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Andre Cisco, a three-year starting safety for Syracuse, was selected 65th overall in the third round of the 2021 NFL draft on Friday night. His selection comes before fellow defensive backs Ifeatu Melifonwu and Trill Williams.

Cisco has been considered an NFL prospect since his sophomore season, when he led the Atlantic Coast Conference with five interceptions and was an All-ACC second team selection. The year prior, Cisco totaled seven interceptions, tied for the most in the country. His 2020 season was cut short due to an ACL tear suffered in September, and his stock dropped as a result. Scouts still said that his playmaking ability as a single-high safety, as well as being part of a “weak” safety class, would help him get drafted sometime early on the third day of the draft.

“His range is really impressive,” Sports Illustrated’s Vincent Calderone told The Daily Orange. “He’s able to cover a good majority of the field in a short period of time. Not many safeties are able to do that.”

The 6-foot, 209-pound DB played high school football at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, for two seasons before attending SU. Cisco was the ACC’s Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2018 and was also named an AP third team All-American while helping lead the Orange to a 10-3 record, their best season since 2001. It was the first time an SU true freshman earned All-American honors. Cisco left Syracuse tied for fourth on the school’s all-time interceptions list, with 13.

Scouts described Cisco’s playing style as that of a “risk taker.” His turnover-making ability was compared to NFL safeties Malik Hooker and Minkah Fitzpatrick, but scouts noted that his knee injury, in addition to his tendency to take poor angles while tackling, contributed to him falling into the second day of the draft.

Andre Cisco recorded 11 tackles in two games played during the 2020 season before suffering a season-ending leg injury. Max Freund | Staff Photographer

“He’s a ball hawk at the free safety position where that’s what you need,” the NFL Draft Bible’s Jack Borowsky said. “(But) in terms of his progression, it’s unfortunate that he tore his ACL really early on this year. There’s going to be some question marks there.”

If Melifonwu is selected on Friday or Saturday, Syracuse will have had at least two players taken in the NFL Draft in back-to-back years for the first time since 2013-14. Williams will look to add his name to the list of Orange selections sometime over the next two days. 

Published on April 30, 2021 at 9:36 pm

Contact Connor: csmith49@syr.edu | @csmith17_