Q&A With All Syracuse: What Kind of Player Are the Jaguars Getting in Andre Cisco?

The Jacksonville Jaguars were one of the more aggressive teams in this past weekend's NFL Draft following the obvious selection of Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence at No. 1 overall. With the rest of their eight selections, the Jaguars took rolls of the dice on high-upside prospects who have the potential to hit in a big way -- as long as they hit.

Among the most high-ceiling of those draft picks is Syracuse safety Andre Cisco, the Jaguars' third-round (No. 65 overall) selection. Cisco fell a bit in the draft due to an ACL injury that put him on the mend for the 2020 season, but the Jaguars are confident they have one of the draft's top playmaking safeties now on their roster.

"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," Jaguars head coach Urban Meyer said on Friday after selecting Cisco.

"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.”

So, what kind of player are the Jaguars getting in Cisco? We speak with Michael McAllister of All Syracuse to get an idea.

Q: What does Andre Cisco do best? What is one area of his game he needs to improve?

McCallister: Definitely forcing turnovers. He has a knack for being around the ball and picking off a pass or forcing a turnover. In fact, if he had stayed another season, he might have set the all-time Syracuse career interceptions record. His ability to force turnovers was a critical part of the Orange's success in a 10-win 2018 season. One area to improve is controlling the aggression. Cisco flat out loves to hit and he can pop anyone coming over the middle. However, he has to develop the ability to hone that in so that he is not going out to drill a big hit, misses and it leads to a big play. That should come with experience and coaching.

Q: How hard of a hit was it on Syracuse's defense when Cisco was lost due to injury?

McCallister: It was a major blow, especially at first. It took the staff and the players time to adjust. In the three games after Cisco went out, Syracuse gave up 180 more rushing yards per game, 2.4 more yards per carry and six more points per game. Cisco made such a big difference in coverage adjustments, making sure everyone was in the right spot pre-snap and making up for mistakes of others.

Q: What is one play from Cisco over the years that sticks out to you the best?

McCallister: I think of the interception he had against Boston College in 2018. He had to cover a tight end out in the flat from the safety position. That should be a pitch and catch most of the time. But Cisco read the route, sprinted towards the tight end, and jumped in front of the route to intercept the pass. It showed his speed, play recognition, and playmaking ability all in one play.

Q: The Jaguars took Cisco to add speed and playmaking to the defense. Does he bring that?

McCallister: Absolutely. He is a freak athlete, runs very well, and has a knack for making plays whether it is picking off a pass, blitzing the quarterback or forcing a fumble. Cisco brings all of that and more to the secondary. Jags fans will love him.

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