The Green Bay Packers selected cornerback Brandon Cisse with the 52nd overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Cisse, a 20-year-old from South Carolina, aims to address the team's biggest roster need.
The Green Bay Packers addressed the biggest need on the roster to start Day 2, using the 52nd overall pick in the second round on South Carolina cornerback Brandon Cisse.
As opposed to last year's second-round pick, Anthony Belton, who was 24 years old and a massive human being, Cisse is only 20 years old and 189 pounds. He's just starting down his developmental pathway as a player. A transfer from North Carolina State, Cisse broke up six passes and had an interception over 12 starts at South Carolina in 2025.
Instant reactions to the Packers taking Cisse at No. 52 overall:
There was a late run at cornerback, but Cisse fell to 52 and the Packers pounced -- providing the long-awaited investment on the defense's perimeter. Patience will be required, as Cisse is still only 20 years old with only 21 starts over three collegiate seasons, but he is filled with coverage talent and athleticism. Speaking of waiting, the Packers had to watch a lot of good players come off the board, but they still ended up getting a top 50 player at the roster's biggest need position. The process here was good. The player has real upside. This looks like a win. The expectation should be that Cisse gets a chance to develop as a rookie before taking over as a full-time starter in 2027.
Ranked 45th on the consensus big board, landing Cisse with the 52nd pick is really good value. A productive starter at both NC State and South Carolina, Cisse showcased his elite athleticism with a 4.41 in the 40-yard dash, 41" vertical leap, and a 10-11 broad jump. He’s not the most polished cornerback prospect, but you have to love his competitiveness and upside to potentially develop into a long-term starter.
Having Cisse fall to the Packers at 52 was the best scenario I realistically could've seen happening, and they didn’t pass him up. A twitched-up athlete who is only 20 years old, he needs refinement but has a very high ceiling as a cover corner and competes in the run game.
Brandon Cisse is a 20-year-old cornerback from South Carolina who had six pass breakups and one interception during his 2025 season.
The Packers selected Cisse to address their biggest roster need at cornerback, aiming to strengthen their defense.
Unlike Anthony Belton, who was 24 years old and significantly larger, Cisse is younger at 20 years old and weighs 189 pounds, indicating a different developmental trajectory.
Junior Caminero and Jonathan Aranda each hit two home runs as the Tampa Bay Rays defeated the Minnesota Twins 6-2. Drew Rasmussen earned the win, allowing one earned run over five innings.
See every story in Sports — including breaking news and analysis.
Brandon Cisse was a Top 40 player on my board. This is incredible value for the Packers. He has controlled footwork and good route instincts. A former track athlete, he is an outstanding athlete with twitchy movements. He does a good job of disrupting the catch point. This is a potential future CB1.
This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Instant reactions to Packers picking CB Brandon Cisse in second round of 2026 draft