Syracuse football junior safety Andre Cisco landed on the pre-season AP All-America first team, and the accolades keep on coming.
Over the years, Syracuse football has seen a bevy of stellar defensive players make their mark on the Hill, and junior safety Andre Cisco has a realistic chance to end up as perhaps the best of them all.
The 6-foot, 209-pound Cisco, as we’ve noted many times, is the active FBS leader with 12 career interceptions. As a sophomore, despite missing three contests due to injury, he tied for the Atlantic Coast Conference lead with five picks.
Even more impressive, in his freshman stint, Cisco tied for the NCAA lead in interceptions, with seven, as he received inclusion on the 2018 Associated Press All-America third squad.
Now, as the Orange prepares for a 2020 campaign that begins in a matter of weeks, commencing on Saturday, Sept. 12 at North Carolina, Cisco is piling up the pre-season recognition. From my perspective, and that of many national pundits, Cisco is absolutely in store for a monster fall stanza.
The latest praise has arrived from the AP, which chose Cisco as a member of its pre-season All-America first crew. Joining Cisco as the other safety on the first team is Georgia senior Richard LeCounte.
Syracuse football star junior safety Andre Cisco has a legit shot at becoming one of the all-time Orange defensive greats.
Per cuse.com, Cisco has to date gotten named as a pre-season first-squad All-American on five instances, from the AP, Street & Smith’s, Lindy’s, the Sporting News and Phil Steele.
Additionally, Cisco is on pre-season watch lists for national honors such as the Jim Thorpe Award, the Lott IMPACT Trophy, the Nagurski Trophy and the Bednarik Award. He is also receiving 2021 NFL Draft buzz as a possible first- or second-round selection.
When I think of some of the top defensive players to don a ‘Cuse uniform, stand-outs that come to mind include Dwight Freeney, Donovin Darius, Markus Paul, Chandler Jones, Tim Green, Kevin Abrams, Keith Bulluck and Tebucky Jones.
Cisco has only suited up for two terms so far, but if he puts forth another All-American campaign in 2020, and then likely heads for the pro ranks following this stanza, then he has to get considered as one of the premier defensive players of all-time in Central New York.
Heck, if Cisco paces the NCAA in interceptions this season, is a first-team All-American, is national defensive player of the year, and gets drafted in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft – a ton of “what-ifs,” I acknowledge – then for my money he may prove the top defensive player ever to compete for Syracuse football.