After landing a commitment from Class of ‘18 safety Andre Cisco, Dino Babers was presumably quite satisfied. However, I’m not sure anybody – not even Dino – could have imagined what the Orange was actually getting in the three-star recruit.
To say Cisco made a seamless transition from high school to the ACC would be an understatement. Just months removed from his last game at IMG Academy (Bradenton, FL), Cisco began his SU career with an interception – in the team’s first game against Western Michigan. The thing is, he was only just getting started.
Simply put, the Queens, NY native has been nothing short of a takeaway machine for SU. After finishing tied for the most interceptions in the entire country as a TRUE FRESHMAN, Cisco followed it up with a second straight ACC-leading campaign in picks – as a sophomore. His 12 career interceptions – in only two seasons – puts him atop of the FBS leaderboard among all active players. Again, he’s done that in just two seasons!
One doesn’t usually end up on a Top 100 list, like this one, after just two seasons. That’s far from normal. Yet, after two stellar campaigns, Cisco has already cemented a legacy beyond deserving of considerable recognition. Aside from being the first true freshman All-American in program history, the now-rising junior already ranks fifth all-time on the SU career interceptions list – putting him alongside some tremendous names from the past (Markus Paul, Tommy Myers, Anthony Smith, Donovin Darius – just name a few). 
And, oh yeah, Cisco is also a two-time ACC Honor Roll selection, and has made the SU Athletic Director’s Honor Roll four times. Honestly, at this point, he’s kinda just rubbing it in.
As we approach an upcoming college football season plagued with uncertainty, doubts about the unknown that is Cisco’s future seem inevitable. Frankly, who knows what the next few months hold in regards to whether or not we’ll see Orange football – in any capacity – this fall. Plus, even if there is football with a condensed schedule and an empty Dome, is it truly guaranteed that Cisco – arguably the best safety in college football and a bona fide NFL Draft prospect – even takes part? After all, we’ve already started seeing players at the next level opt out of the NFL season, in light of the Covid-19 pandemic.
All told, the only thing destined to yield answers here, is time. However, in spite of all current uncertainty, SU’s star safety can probably still bank on at least one ultimate, positive outcome.
Set to be draft-eligible after the season, Cisco – a current economics major – will likely be able to put his skills to the test (perhaps, in more ways than one) with a potential NFL paycheck looming, in the near future.
