Syracuse Football: Andre Cisco is projected to go in NFL Draft’s first round

Neil Adler

(Photo by Bryan M. Bennett/Getty Images)

Syracuse football star safety Andre Cisco checks in at No. 23 overall in a recent mock first-round field of the 2021 NFL Draft.

As Syracuse football moves further along in its summer work-outs, junior safety Andre Cisco is receiving a ton of pre-season All-American accolades as well as 2021 NFL Draft praise.

Late last month, we reported on Pro Football Network projecting Cisco to get picked near the end of the second round by the Baltimore Ravens in the 2021 NFL Draft.

Charlie Campbell, senior draft analyst at WalterFootball.com, recently released first-round mock projections for next year’s NFL Draft, and Cisco made the cut. Campbell has Cisco going to the Minnesota Vikings at No. 23.

"Here’s what Campbell had to say in his write-up on the Orange’s stellar defensive player. “The Vikings could use an understudy for Harrison Smith, and he might prove too expensive to keep as he ages. … Over his first two seasons in college football, Cisco (6-0, 203) was a pure ball hawk for Syracuse. In 2019, he recorded 65 tackles with five interceptions and five passes broken up. Cisco had a huge 2018 season with seven interceptions, 18 passes broken up, one forced fumble and 60 tackles. The instinctive free safety could have a hard time duplicating that production, but if he continues to play well, those tapes will help him to be an early-rounder.”"

The current Football Bowl Subdivision leader with 12 career interceptions, Cisco has also deservedly received inclusion on at least three pre-season All-American first teams for the 2020 campaign, from the Sporting News, Lindy’s, and Street & Smith’s.

Without question, Cisco should find himself on additional pre-season All-American first squads from other media outlets in the near future, particularly as the upcoming stanza inches closer. Cisco is also rightfully deemed a top-10 player within the Atlantic Coast Conference for the 2020 term.

Campbell, by the way, slots Clemson star quarterback Trevor Lawrence at No. 1 overall in his 2021 NFL mock draft, with Lawrence heading to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Neil Adler

Since 2016, Neil has served as a writer with Inside The Loud House, while also taking on the role of editor in 2020. Neil, a graduate of Syracuse University in 2000, primarily covers 'Cuse basketball, football, recruiting, NIL and conference realignment issues. Neil has been an avid Syracuse sports enthusiast dating back to the 1980s. While with Loud House, Neil is regularly heard on the radio in Central New York, while also participating in numerous podcasts related to the 'Cuse. His exclusive reports are often picked up by other media outlets, too. When not writing about Syracuse sports, Neil also co-owns a marketing agency in the Washington, D.C., market. He loves playing hoops and buying basketball cards with his son, spending time with his parents, brother and nephews, and listening to Duran Duran.