Jaguars S Andre Cisco named top 10 instant impact rookie for 2021

The Jacksonville Jaguars telegraphed that they would take Trevor Lawrence with the first overall pick of the 2021NFL Draft. However, after selecting the Clemson standout, they took an unexpected path and made several surprising selections. Among them was Syracuse safety Andre Cisco, who has gotten praise from a media analyst.

Chris Trapasso of CBS Sports thinks Cisco is one of ten rookies that will have an instant impact for the 2021 season. He believes safeties with his skill set are unicorns and points out he’s 6-foot-1 and 216 pounds. Moreover, he points out he was a splash-pay machine at Syracuse and adds that he’s more than just a box safety. Trapasso says Cisco fits into the “playmaker role in Joe Cullen’s defense”, and thinks that his production and athletic prowess will carry over into the NFL.

This is not the first time Trapasso has raved about Jacksonville’s decision to draft Cisco with the 65th overall pick. In a previous article, he mentions that the safety had a first-round grade on his draft board and goes so far as to say he, not Trevor Lawrence, was the Jaguars’ best pick in 2021’s draft.

How quickly will Andre Cisco see the Jacksonville Jaguars starting lineup?

Cisco is an outstanding athletic with the ability to generate turnovers. Nevertheless, the Jags don’t have to rush him into the starting lineup, as they have a couple of starting safeties in Jarrod Wilson and Rayshawn Jenkins. The former was one of their best defensive players last season while the latter joined the team this offseason.

While it’s unlikely Cisco will send Jenkins to the bench right out of the gate, he could eventually take Wilson’s job. Yes, he was one of the Jaguars’ best defensive players in 2020 but that doesn’t say much when the unit ranked 31st in both total yards and points allowed. Moreover, he’s set to become a free agent in 2021, so it’s possible that Jacksonville drafted Cisco with the intention of grooming him into Wilson’s replacement. When will that happen? It’s hard to tell, but don’t be surprised if the Syracuse product is the starter by the second half of the season.

Safety was an area of need for Jacksonville heading into the draft and managed to address the position in a suitable way by taking Cisco in the third round, which in turn allowed them to upgrade other positions with their first four selections.