Gamecocks’ top NFL prospect has ‘chip on my shoulder.’ How it’s fueled his success
In a month, South Carolina cornerback Brandon Cisse is going to get drafted — perhaps in the first round — and his story is going to sound uber-simplistic: Local defensive back becomes a Gamecock and develops into an NFL Draft pick, following a similar path as Stephon Gilmore, Jaycee Horn, Cam Smith and Nick Emmanwori.
And while that’s all technically true, Cisse’s path bears almost no resemblance to those who came before him — because, well, South Carolina actually wanted those players out of high school. The Gamecocks’ coaching staff had no interest in the scrawny DB from Lakwood High in Sumter, never offering Cisse.
“They didn’t think I was big enough,” Cisse said after running a 4.40-second 40-yard dash at USC’s Pro Day on Tuesday. “I still kind of have a chip on my shoulder to this day.”
“He tries to get on us because we didn’t recruit him,” Gamecocks defensive coordinator Clayton White said of Cisse.
The truth of the situation is somewhere in the middle. While USC never formally offered Cisse, South Carolina DBs coach Torian Gray built a great relationship with Cisse and was trying to persuade him to attend a Gamecock football camp. By that point, he was already committed to NC State and was intent on honoring his pledge.
Three years later, all seems to be forgiven. Cisse enrolled to NC State out of high school and, suddenly, the universe took care of the recruiting concerns. Cisse hit a growth spurt and added weight, getting stronger after some time in a college weight program. It was enough for him to see the field.
As a true freshman, he appeared in every game, becoming a mainstay on the Wolfpack’s “dime” defense. A year later, he was NC State’s starting cornerback. Soon after that 2024 season, the Wolfpack’s defensive cooridnator and safeties coach left the program and Cisse decided to enter the transfer portal.
Waiting on the other side was South Carolina. This time, they extended an offer.
“My dad went here. This is something I’ve been around since I was a little kid. It’s kind of in my blood,” Cisse said last year. “Obviously I wish I would have come (to Carolina) out of high school, but God had his plans for me and I came back around.”
In 2025, his lone season at South Carolina, Cisse was one of the few bright spots for the Gamecocks. He started at cornerback for all 13 games, but was versatile enough to also play nickel when USC switched packages. Also, aside from poor performances against Alabama and Ole Miss, he was one of South Carolina’s most-sure tacklers on defense.
But what’s vaulted him into the first round of most mock drafts — including that of ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr., who projected the Kansas City Chiefs would take Cisse with the 29th overall pick — is Cisse’s brain. His older brother began teaching him defensive coverages when he was 3 years old and since then, he’s become a football savant.
“He’s one of the few corners that can probably talk about all 11 guys (on defense) and all 22 guys on the football field naturally, and not sound like it’s forced,” White said. “Not many guys can actually do that at this level and talk scheme.”
Because Cisse is in that group, it seems likely that he’ll hear his name called on the first night of the NFL Draft.
And if he doesn’t? Well, he seems to excel with a chip on his shoulder.
