Cornerback is one of the most difficult positions to play in all of sports. The great ones bring timing, precision, speed, field awareness and intensity to every possession, even when the opponent’s entire game plan is designed to beat them. It's not a position that's easily taught or learned.
So when you learn that one of the seven cornerbacks to ever win the Defensive Player of the Year award is mentoring your second-round rookie, it tends to affirm that you made the right pick.
Green Bay‘s newest defensive back, Brandon Cisse, told Wes Hodkiewicz of Packers.com that he’s being mentored by future Hall of Fame CB Stephon Gilmore. The two South Carolina Gamecocks met at an event and built a quick connection over their shared experience. The 20-year-old Cisse, who is eager to soak in as much knowledge as he can, says he talks to his Super Bowl champion mentor "at least once or twice a day."
"Just a huge fan of him, and when I was able to get him — his number, kind of hit it off because he's a football guy," Cisse told Packers media. "I couldn't ask for a better mentor than somebody who's going to be wearing a gold jacket."
All signs point toward the Packers getting it right with Brandon Cisse
Most players don't just take anyone under their wing — let alone someone of Gilmore's stature. He clearly can sense something special about the promising young corner, just as General Manager Brian Gutekunst did on draft night, when he was quoted as saying he "didn’t see [Cisse] being available when we were picking at 52." He didn't let that opportunity slip through the cracks.
The combine helped solidify Cisse's place in this class, ranking fifth among corners with high marks for his athleticism. Listed at 5-foot-11, 189 lbs, Cisse has intangibles on and off the field that made him a clear choice for a Packers secondary in serious need of depth and growth potential. On and off the field, that's what Cisse appears to embody.
Players who respect the game and take the time to study its nuances from a young age oftentimes adjust to the NFL a little easier than those who don't. It's a part of the learning curve that gets reduced for someone like Cisse, who has been watching Charles Woodson tape since he was a kid and picks the brain of a great player like Gilmore.
Cisse has a legitimate chance to carve out a role in his first season as a pro. Now it's time for him to take everything he thinks he knows about playing in the NFL and adapt to the reality of it.
DISCOVER MORE HEADLINES FROM THE DAIRYLAND EXPRESS TEAM:
Add us as a preferred source on Google