Cisse Selected by Green Bay in the Second Round of the NFL Draft
University of South Carolina cornerback Brandon Cisse was selected by the Green Bay Packers with the 20th pick in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft on Friday. He was the first Gamecock player taken in the 2026 Draft and the 52nd player selected overall.
Cisse, who measured 5-11 ½ and 189 pounds at Carolina’s Pro Day in March, spent one season in Columbia after beginning his career at North Carolina State. A Sumter, S.C. and Lakewood High School product, Cisse logged 65 tackles and 10 pass breakups with two interceptions in three seasons of college football.
Cisse made an immediate impression upon his arrival on the Carolina campus, earning both Newcomer of the Spring honors for the defense and co-Newcomer of the Spring accolades for special teams following spring drills. During the 2025 campaign, Cisse started all 12 games for the Gamecocks, 11 at cornerback and one at Nickel. He was credited with 27 tackles including 19 solo stops, along with five pass breakups.
Cisse is the first Gamecock selected by the Packers since Kingsley Enagbare was drafted in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft as the 179th overall pick.
Cisse is the latest in a long line of Gamecock defensive backs selected in the NFL Draft. The Gamecocks have had a defensive back selected in five of the last six NFL Drafts, including a DB taken within the first two rounds in three of the last four drafts. That list includes Jaycee Horn (2021-1st round), Cam Smith (2023-2nd round), Darius Rush (2023-5thround), Marcellas Dial (2024-6th round), and Nick Emmanwori (2025-2nd round). Overall, South Carolina has had 24 defensive backs selected since joining the SEC.
The Gamecocks have now had a player selected in 24 of the last 25 NFL drafts.
