Syracuse safety Andre Cisco drafted in the third round (65th overall) by Jacksonville Jaguars

Andre Cisco is off the board! The former All-American Syracuse Orange safety was chosen with the first pick in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Despite Cisco’s injury during his junior year, the way he transformed his body over the course of his time at Syracuse seemed to stand out to NFL scouts, as did his ball-hawking skills (136 tackles, two TFLs, two forced fumbles, 29 defended passes, 13 interceptions over just 24 game).

The Valley Stream, N.Y. native now gets to bring those talents to the next level, where he seems poised to plug in as an aggressive big-play safety in the secondary. Cisco’s ability to chase down errant passes is valuable for any team. And Jacksonville could benefit immediately from how he can flip the field with his high-risk, high-reward play.

We initially thought he could go in the second or third round, and this fell right in line with that projection. Though playing in just two games during his junior season might’ve prevented him him from vaulting into the first round, it also didn’t stop him from being a day two pick — something we’re happy to see.

Congrats to Cisco on his selection. And looking forward to seeing him suit up on Sundays. We’ll have more on how he fits in with his new squad next week.