The Green Bay Packers had one major concern on defense. Their cornerback room was shaky to say the least, and even an elite safety corps wasn't enough to keep big plays to a minimum, especially in the boundary.
To solve that, they got their hands on South Carolina's Brandon Cisse, one of this class's most intriguing prospects. His athleticism and physical traits were enticing, but he didn't seem to be as NFL-ready as some of his counterparts.
That bodes well for a team that rarely starts rookies or gives them big roles right out of the gate. However, Cisse's work ethic might force the team to change its approach. When asked about the prized rookie, defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon and cornerbacks coach Daniel Bullocks gushed about his no-nonsense approach.
The Packers found a star in Brandon Cisse
“Before you send him a text about a certain play and his technique, he’ll send you the text first,” Gannon said (h/t Matt Schneidman). “He’s not a party guy. He’s an all-ball guy,” added Bullocks.
That's all you can ask of a rookie. There will be growing pains, but those who want to be great make the most every drill, every rep, every practice, and every second of tape to figure out how to improve every single day.
The Packers didn't start Jaire Alexander or Eric Stokes as rookies, but Cisse might actually take the field early and often on Gannon's defense. Not only does he look great, but the ever-struggling Carrington Valentine is dealing with an injury.
The Packers also signed Benjamin St-Juste in the offseason. While not a star by any means, he's a reliable veteran who can be a stopgap at the position while they continue to ramp up their prized rookie if they don't want to put that much on his plate right out of the gate.
Cisse was a bit of a late bloomer, and he knows how to earn his stripes and everything out of the mud. He barely played as a freshman at NC State before slowly but surely climbing his way up the depth chart and ultimately transferring to play for the Gamecocks.
He's not the most experienced guy, and the Packers will probably want to battle-test him a bit more before throwing him into the fire at such a crucial position. So far, so good, and he keeps getting better by the day.
At the end of the day, it takes much more than just athleticism and physical tools to make it in the National Football League. Fortunately for the Packers, they got their hands on a young man who doesn't settle for average and wants to be one of the greats.
Will he force them to change their approach with rookies? We shall see.
Add us as a preferred source on Google