5 Jaguars who must hit the ground running at 2022 OTAs

No. 3 Jaguars player who must shine at OTAs – Andre Cisco, S.

Even though safety was one of the Jaguars’ most pressing needs ahead of last year’s draft, they chose to address the position until the third round, when they selected Andre Cisco. At the time, the pick was somewhat of a gamble. On one hand, the former Syracuse Orangeman was a ballhawk in college, logging 14 passes defensed and 13 interceptions in just 24 games.

However, Cisco’s injury history contributed to his draft slide. Back in 2019, he suffered a lower-body injury and tore his ACL in 2020. In a league where availability is the best ability, that kind of thing might have made teams hesitant to take a flyer on the young safety. In the end, the Jaguars rolled the dice on Ciso and managed to stay healthy in his rookie campaign. The downside is that he didn’t get much playing time until Rayshawn Jenkins and Andrew Wingard were unavailable.

Once Cisco joined Jacksonville’s starting lineup, he put on displayed the athleticism and range that made him a playmaker at Syracuse. Jenkins will most likely start at one safety spot in Week 1 and the team brought back Wingard, meaning that Cisco will most likely have to compete for a starting role in training camp.

That’s why the sophomore safety must make every rep count in OTAs. Players can’t tackle but can partake in 7-on-7 drills and that wil be a great opportunity for Cisco to make a positive impression on the new coaching staff.