NFL coach inadvertently puts Jaguars' youngster on path to the Hall of Fame with one quote
It remains to be seen what exactly the Jacksonville Jaguars defense looks like in 2024. Fortunately, not only are there incumbents in place – a few of them happen to be foundational pieces, as well.There are obvious names like Trevor Lawrence, Josh Allen, Travis Etienne, and others, but then, there are guys like safety Andre […]
It remains to be seen what exactly the Jacksonville Jaguars defense looks like in 2024. Fortunately, not only are there incumbents in place – a few of them happen to be foundational pieces, as well.
There are obvious names like Trevor Lawrence, Josh Allen, Travis Etienne, and others, but then, there are guys like safety Andre Cisco. Guys that may not have that household name/star power, but are just as important to the team in their own right.
Your average NFL fan, or even average Jags fan, may not know who Cisco is right off the bat, but league executives, coaches and scouts are fully aware of his capabilities, as he was given an honorable mention in ESPN's latest poll ranking each position group.
Cisco had a career-high four interceptions in 2023. "He can generate turnovers at an elite level. He'll be a 30-plus career interception guy," an NFC coordinator said.
A 30+ interception career is a big deal. So big, in fact, Cisco could be a Hall of Fame candidate when it's all said and done. Of the 12 Hall of Famers listed as safety, only two failed to snag 30+ interceptions in their careers: John Lynch (26) and Cliff Harris (29).
Granted, that won't guarantee Cisco a spot in Canton. There are 36 inactive safeties with at least 30+ interceptions out there that have yet to have their busts made. He'll need to up his game in run defense and he'll need to become a better blitzer and tackler if he wants that to happen.
Cisco had a pretty good year defending the run in 2023, but his tackling left much to be desired. His 13.8% miss rate led his position group and it was 10th-worst among Jags defenders with at least 200 defensive snaps, per Pro Football Focus. For total context, 18 Jags defenders recorded at least 200 defensive snaps, last year.
If Cisco can fill out the rest of his game and continue to be the ballhawk he is, there's a very good chance he could end up where every NFL player wants to be, when it's all said and done.
