GREEN BAY – All these years later, the photo still has a place in Brandon Cisse‘s phone.
It’s the iconic image of Charles Woodson, biting down on a rose stem, celebrating Michigan’s 1997 victory over Ohio State to earn a trip to the Rose Bowl.
Cisse wasn’t born for another seven years, but Woodson’s greatness and all-around aura made an impression on Cisse’s father, Cedric, who passed on that appreciation for the Packers Hall of Fame cornerback to his son.
“My dad is a big Charles Woodson fan, has a jersey,” Cisse said. “Even back when he was at Michigan, wearing No. 2.”
It’s fitting Cisse’s NFL career will begin with that same number on his shoulders after the Packers made the South Carolina cornerback their top pick in the second round (No. 53 overall) of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Hailing from Sumter, S.C., Cisse developed an early love for the game and learned from watching the best who have ever played his position. Cisse began his college career as a three-star recruit at NC State before realizing a childhood dream of playing for home state South Carolina Gamecocks in 2025.
It was a transformative year for the 5-foot-11, 189-pound cornerback. After earning Newcomer of the Spring honors, Cisse started all 12 games as a true junior on his way to 27 tackles, five passes defensed and an interception.
Cisse credits South Carolina and defensive backs coach Torrian Gray for molding his game, but that year in Columbia also introduced him to five-time Pro Bowler Stephon Gilmore.
Given Cisse’s love of South Carolina football, he already was quite familiar with the legendary Gamecocks cornerback before the two met prior to this past season. Now, Cisse said he talks to Gilmore “at least once or twice a day.”
“I reached out to him, got his card at an event and just sent (a message) to him,” said Cisse about how the two met. “Just a huge fan of him and when I was able to get him – his number, kind of hit it off because he’s a football guy. I couldn’t ask for a better mentor than somebody who’s going to be wearing a gold jacket.”