Syracuse Football: Todd McShay ranks Andre Cisco too low
Andre Cisco is quite possibly the best defensive player that Syracuse football has had in years. But Todd McShay doesn’t exactly agree.
ESPN NFL Draft expert, Todd McShay listed his top-50 prospects for the 2021 NFL Draft. Not included? Syracuse football standout and AP First-Team All-American, Andre Cisco.
Sure, we’re nearing the half-way point to April Fools Day, but this is not a joke. Nope, a player that has been projected as a first-round pick isn’t even on McShay’s board of the top-50 prospects.
But it gets even worse from there.
McShay has the NCAA’s active leader in interceptions is listed as number NINETY-ONE (91) on his draft board. In other words, that’s 68 spots lower than his best draft projection and doesn’t quite add up to his first-team selection by the Associated Press.
Even more mind-boggling? The fact that McShay has six safeties ahead of Cisco in his rankings. Oregon’s Jevon Holland came in at 20th. TCU’s Trevon Moehrig checked in two spots later at 22nd. Still, four more safeties between 60 and 74 were named before Cisco at 91st.
Now before we go any further, I’d like to clear the air a bit.
This is not a shot at Todd McShay’s work, knowledge, or anything about him at all. I truly happen to think he’s the best at what he does, and oh my is that job tough – ranking hundreds of college stars each year based on so many different criteria. I just strongly believe that Cisco is far undervalued in these rankings.
For one, he’s not just a one-shot wonder. Andre Cisco is legit.
A lot of Syracuse football players with NFL talent often get slept on because Cuse doesn’t pull the same weight as an Alabama or even an Ole Miss. But in the case of Cisco, he could start on either of those teams.
His freshman year, Cisco wowed ‘Cuse fans with an FBS-leading seven interceptions, to go along with 60 tackles and a forced fumble. What’d he do the following year? Just follow that up with five picks, 65 tackles, and another forced fumble. And did I mention that he did this in four fewer games? Andre Cisco is a college football star, and his stats tell all the stories.
But it’s not just his numbers. Cisco is also a multi-dimensional talent, with the ability to defend passes and stop receivers in their tracks. His unique blend of being able to knock down a ball while also hitting hard and efficiently is something that every NFL team would love to have.
The Syracuse football star is also in a conference that actually plans on playing football this season. Obviously this has little to nothing to do with NFL value, but it should give guys another chance to look at what he can do on the football field.
My question for Todd McShay is this – if Andre Cisco has accomplished all of this in just two short years on ‘The Hill’, what else does he need to do to enter the top 50? I think the numbers speak for themselves, but McShay has a ton of insight that I can’t provide.
How’s a Q/A with Inside the Loud House sound, Todd? Let’s make it happen!