The second moment that sparked Cisse’s football career happened the summer before his senior year of high school. The Sumter, South Carolina native recognized that he had fallen in love with the game of football and had enough innate skills to make a run for a college offer.
“I love the game. (I want) to be the best player to ever play the game, and I don’t just say that. I’m not just saying that to be confident. I actually mean that,” perched Cisse. “Why else do you play the game if you don’t want to be the best? So that’s how I look at it.”
But he needed help. Or more specifically, he needed $100.
At the time, the Lakewood High product had no college offers and only one year left of high school to earn one. NC State was hosting a football camp, which can often lead to interest in a prospect, but the defensive back would need $100 to sign up. His mom pointed out that it was no small fee and wanted at least a little assurance that it’d be worth the money.
“I begged her,” admitted Cisse, recalling the story at his NFL combine press conference. “I just told her I wasn’t going to make her wrong. And then, when I went out there and earned the offer (from NC State), I called her, and she was super happy for me, and I probably committed the next week to go to college.