Rams: 3 replacements for John Johnson III in 2021 NFL Draft

Andre Cisco – Syracuse

Coming off an ACL injury suffered in September after colliding with a teammate in warm-ups before a game with Georgia Tech, Cisco could be available further down the draft than Grant and Holland. Provided there are no lingering effects from that injury, Cisco arguably has the higher upside at the pro level following an extremely productive collegiate career with the Orange.

With 13 interceptions and 14 pass deflections in 24 games, Cisco’s on-ball production is in no doubt. He is constantly reading the eyes of the quarterback and, when at his best, uses his instincts to make game-changing plays.

Extremely athletically gifted, Cisco possesses the range to play the deep middle in single-high formations, while he can also operate from two-deep looks and split safety coverages. Cisco has also frequently played down in the box and from the slot.

Still early in his development, Cisco is raw and has been guilty of misreading the play while attempting to go for the turnover, giving up significant yardage as a result. He isn’t as comfortable in man coverage as Grant and Holland and, if the Rams are to invest in Cisco, it will require patience on their part.

But the ceiling is most certainly there for a player who would have been in the early day-two and perhaps late day-one conversation if not for his injury. If the Rams can find a stopgap and play the long game with Cisco, he could eventually step in as a long-term starter at free safety.