NFL Draft: Takeaways on Jaguars' Selection of Syracuse S Andre Cisco
The Jacksonville Jaguars haven't been shy about adding to the secondary in 2021. From signing Shaquill Griffin and Rayshawn Jenkins to be veteran leaders to drafting Tyson Campbell at No. 33 overall, the Jaguars have been busy. The Jaguars became even busier in Friday's third round, taking Syracuse safety Andre Cisco at No. 65 overall.
What does the selection of Cisco mean for the Jaguars and the vision of the defense moving forward?
This is a classic Trent Baalke selection, but also one that screams Urban Meyer
Another high-upside, high-risk selection, the pick of Syracuse's Andre Cisco is right in line with general manager Trent Baalke's track record when he ran the drafts in San Francisco. Cisco could have been a top-50 pick if healthy, but he suffered a torn ACL in September and it remains to be seen when he will be able to be back on the field at 100%. Baalke took numerous players with those exact same medical concerns with the 49ers, though each of the picks failed to materialize into a contributor. The pick of Cisco, an extremely talented and athletic defensive back coming off a serious injury, screams Baalke in a lot of ways.
"We were a little nervous, but again, I think the injury played into it a little bit. It always does, but how much? I don’t know, I can’t speak for the other 31 teams. When we value the board, we value it for us, regardless of what the media may be saying or where we hear other teams may be leaning," Baalke said on Friday. "We value the board for us.”
But the Cisco pick also screams Urban Meyer. Meyer essentially has his new Malik Hooker in Cisco, a rangy combo safety with elite ball production who is also a willing tackler. Meyer has long emphasized range and ball skills at the safety position and a healthy Cisco would have fit right in on Meyer's Ohio State defenses.
"Well, I tell you what, he’s a guy we just all fell in love with. Before that injury, he’s — I had Malik Hooker at Ohio State — and he’s the best overlap player I thought in the draft," Meyer said on Friday night.
"We used to call Reggie Nelson the eraser, he makes a lot of things right. Best ball skills we felt in the back end of the draft. We had a couple incredible Zoom calls with him. Great background, great character and if he wasn’t injured, I think that was a value pick. We’re real pleased with that.”
Andre Cisco is immediately the best playmaking safety on the Jaguars' roster, even if he has to grow in other areas
If there is any single trait that Cisco is going to bring to the Jaguars' defense, it will be ball skills and the ability to create turnovers. Cisco was consistently one of the nation's most productive safeties in 2018 and 2019, leading the FBS in interceptions in 2018 and the ACC in picks in 2019. Cisco finished his college career with 29 pass deflections and 13 interceptions in 24 games, averaging over a pass deflection and 0.5 interceptions per game. He has other area of his game he needs to improve, especially his pursuit angles, but he gives the Jaguars something in the secondary they previously didn't have.
Just look at the other safeties on the roster: Jarrod Wilson has three career interceptions. Rayshawn Jenkins has five. Andrew Wingard has two. Rudy Ford has zero. Josh Jones has two. Daniel Thomas has one. The Jaguars' entire safety room has as many interceptions in their NFL careers as Cisco had in barely over two seasons of play in college. As a result, he will instantly be the best playmaking safety on the roster from day one.
The Jaguars could likely survive without an instant impact from Cisco but he should start when healthy
Thanks to the work the Jaguars did to ensure they had some safety depth entering the draft, they can afford to not have Cisco available right away due to his recovery from his injury. Jenkins was signed to be a starter, while Jarrod Wilson, Andrew Wingard, Josh Jones, and Daniel Thomas have all started games. Not all are starter-quality players, but the Jaguars at least won't be scrambling for options in the event Cisco isn't ready Week 1.
"Yeah, I’m a little over six months out of surgery. Right now, I’m working on doing field work, my normal positional workouts. So, I’m on the field and moving around and I feel pretty good," Cisco said on Friday. "I’m working at 85 percent right now, so working through that. Little tweaks here and there, so I would say that I’m still working through this journey. I’m not there yet, but I'm looking forward to starting training camp out and being 100 percent cleared.”
Once Cisco is available and ready to be on the field, though, the Jaguars shouldn't hesitate to put him in the back end of the defense and let him hit the ground running. There will be growing pains, but Cisco gives them the upside and turnover potential at safety that no other player on the roster really matches.
