If you were to ask a typical football fan, “Which college program will produce the most defensive backs this year?” Most would assume the answer is among the typical juggernauts: Ohio State, LSU, Florida, etc..
In 2021, it may not be any of those schools. It might, in fact, be the Syracuse Orange.
Head coach Dino Babers’ program has three quality defensive backs entering the draft this year, and they all provide something different to the table. Each has a high chance of being drafted.
Andre Cisco
Cisco is the biggest name of this group of prospects. He is a playmaking free safety who thrives in deep centerfield.
With his combination of size and speed, Cisco aligns the split zone schemes that are typically utilized in the NFL. He is also a ball magnet, averaging an interception or a pass breakup in each game he played throughout his college years.
Absolutely love Syracuse's Andre Cisco. Ballhawking safety with 13 picks in 24 career games. Has a forced incompletion rate of 34.6 per cent! pic.twitter.com/kaic4u9Qv1
— Jack Brentnall (@Jack_Brentnall) February 23, 2021
The ability to consistently stay healthy is a legitimate concern. Cisco missed multiple games in 2019 and suffered another injury early in 2020, after which he decided to opt out.
However, the tools and intangibles are there for Cisco to have a high ceiling as an NFL player. He currently projects as a second round pick.
Ifeatu Melifonwu
Melifonwu has a unique build for an outside cornerback. At 6’3″, he uses his length to cover extra ground and blanket receivers.
Melifonwu is also very physical, which is utilized in press coverage and in forcing incompletions by disrupting the receiver at the catch point. He is another player who fits NFL zone coverage schemes very well, considering how he leverages routes.
| Depth of Target | PFF Coverage Grade |
| 1-9 Yards | 75.7 |
| 10-19 Yards | 66.8 |
| 20+ Yards | 55.9 |
Throughout his three years at Syracuse, Melifonwu struggled to defend the deep ball. Nonetheless, he is certainly athletic and that is something that should not be overlooked.
Especially since this draft class lacks overall depth with corners, Melifonwu could easily be a day two pick.
Trill Williams
Williams fits the exact mold of what NFL analysts love to call the “swiss-army knife.”
He has experience lining up every general spot throughout the defensive formation that most other defensive backs do not have. Because of this, he will be able to find himself getting playing time on an NFL roster right away, at the very least on passing downs. This also means that he is not scheme specific, opening up his options to many teams.
Like Cisco and Melifonwu, Williams has coverage skills but also has a downhill playing style. You will usually find him helping out downfield, with an elite ability to mirror his opponents at his length. At the same time, he will blow up screens and make his way into the backfield on safety blitzes and run plays.
Pulling it All Together
Dino Babers has not been able to produce a consistent winning product on the field, but he has done very well with this position group.
Each of these defensive backs fit the modern NFL mold and has developed significantly throughout their time on campus.
They also complement each other perfectly, providing value in unique ways. Whether it is the ballhawking Cisco, the press coverage skills of Melifonwu, or the versatility of Williams, their presence will improve any defensive backfield.
Syracuse is a long ways from DBU but it will play a major part in this year’s addition of NFL talent.
