NC State secondary takes a hit after expected returner enters transfer portal
N.C. State’s defense was already primed to look significantly different in 2025 after the departure of defensive coordinator Tony Gibson and players including Davin Vann and Aydan White running out of eligibility. Now, the team is down another player it expected to have back.
Cornerback Brandon Cisse told On3 Sports that he will enter the transfer portal. The news has been confirmed via his social media pages. Originally from Sumter, South Carolina, Cisse was a three-star recruit out of high school.
Cisse becomes one of the more significant players to leave the program this season. Wide receiver KC Concepcion was the first player to announce his transfer. Concepcion recently committed to play for former Duke head coach Mike Elko at Texas A&M.
The cornerback signed with One Pack NIL Collective in December. The collective, however, is not allowed to make enrollment a requirement, nor are the agreements legally binding. One Pack will not provide compensation for players, like Cisse, who decide to transfer after signing with the group.
The sophomore contributed 28 tackles, including 1.5 tackles for loss, and five pass breakups in 2024. His impact did not always show up on the stat sheet. Cisse was the highest-graded cornerback for the Wolfpack, earning a 73.0 grade on Pro Football Focus. He was particularly effective in the run defense, earning a grade of 78.5, to rank in the ACC Top 10.
As a freshman, Cisse contributed 10 tackles and one interception.
Cisse’s announcement comes days after the Wolfpack hired DJ Eliot as defensive coordinator and Freddie Aughtry-Lindsay was named co-defensive coordinator.
Pending any additional surprises, the Wolfpack expects Tamarcus Cooley, Devon Marshall and Jackson Vick to return for next season, but Cisse and White’s departures mean it is down both starting corners. N.C. State signed Cam Strong and Caden Gordon to its incoming freshman class as well. The two newcomers are mid-year enrollees.
This story was originally published January 2, 2025 at 9:41 PM.
