6 safeties the Vikings could select in the 2021 NFL Draft
By Luke Parrish
Andre Cisco (Syracuse)
Measurements:
- Height: 6-feet | Weight: 209 pounds
2020 Stats (only two games):
- 11 tackles
- 1 interception
Andre Cisco entered the 2020 season as arguably the top safety in the nation and he was heading towards a first-round selection if things went as planned. Unfortunately for him, they did not go nearly as expected, and he missed the majority of his 2020 season with a knee injury.
Cisco was a turnover machine for the Orange in his three seasons, racking up 13 interceptions and two forced fumbles in 24 career games. He can come down and hit in the run game along with having good coverage ability on the back end.
Given how the Vikings have used Harrison Smith throughout his career, it would not be all too crazy to feature Cisco in a similar role. However, starting out, it would make much more sense for him to be the deep safety while Harry continues to handle the rest.
He makes a lot of splash plays, and he is a stud in coverage, but he will seek out too many of those plays at times, leaving the defense vulnerable. It would be much easier to project his instant impact in 2021 if he were able to show some of his improvements on tape last season, but alas, he was not.
The injury is a concern, as always, but it likely slides Cisco into the middle of round three at the highest, which puts him right in Minnesota’s range. If he is available with one of their third-round picks, he would be great to bring in and compete with Xavier Woods.