Brian Branch – Defensive back – 21 years old – Junior – Alabama
Height: 1m83
Weight: 86 kg
2022 stats: 90 tackles including 14 for losses, 7 passes defended including 2 interceptions
Estimated draft position: 15-30
NFL Comparison: Julian Love (Seahawks)
Announced as the best safety of the 2023 vintage, Brian Branch is rather a nickel cornerback. In 2022, he was aligned as such on 74% of his games. Out of 768 snaps, 569 were in the slot, 136 as box safety and only 15 like deep-safety. Alongside Jordan Battle and DeMarcco Hellams, the holders of the two safety positions, he was this precious 5th defensive back who knew how to do everything.
Like training cornerback Julian Love (124 tackles and 2 interceptions in 2022), Brian Branch could become a major element of an NFL defense.
Strong points
– Versatile
– Clever
– Good tackler
Indisputable holder in Alabama, he occupied the role said Star in their defence. A position formerly held by Minkah Fitzpatrick (Steelers) at the Crimson Tide. If Brian Branch does not have the same size as his predecessor, he shares with him a precious versatility: that which allows a coordinator to feint attacks by using it differently from one game to another, from one match to the other depending on the adversaries.
His main quality is the intelligence of the game: mark a receiver or a tight-end inside the field, chase a runner or sprint to attack the quarterback, Brian Branch knows how to do everything. A starter for two seasons with a university superpower, he has not only benefited from quality coaching, but also from high-level opponents to put him to the test.
He plays much bigger than his size ! This formula sometimes used by American analysts fits him like a glove: despite a lack of size, he knows how to respect the physical dimension of this sport. Especially when it comes to stopping his opponent: the PFF site simply gives him the best score of all university players in 2022 in the “tackles” category!
Weak points
– Position
– Be more decisive
NFL defenses usually field five defensive backs so Brian Branch will have no trouble finding his place. However, its physical limitations mean that some franchises with a more specific need will pass their turns: not big enough and too little experience as a free-safety, not big enough to play strong safety ! He is also not that cornerback capable of playing outside to score the best opposing receiver.
Preventing the reception is what we ask in priority to the players of the secondary. But intercepting the ball is even better! With only three career interceptions (2 in 2022), Brian Branch will have to be more decisive: if he brings in many areas, recovering the ball is what makes the most difference in an NFL game.
The course
Brian Branch had the humility to learn for his first season in Alabama: holder from his freshman season in high school, he was only a rotation player at first at the top level. His patience and progress made him a starter for the next two seasons: no small feat in a program full of talented players.
Still a high school student, he had notably been able to develop his game intelligence with the Football Academy pass in the suburbs of Atlanta.
“Honestly you are more than a trainer. You are also another father figure to me so thank you for always being there for me. My dad never even attended one of my games! Brian Branch said in 2020 of Andre Powell (reported by al.com)
His parents divorced when he was still very young: coach Andre Dr Powell was a beautiful meeting in his life.
“We had to wait until he met Dr. for my son to finally have, not a new father, but someone to take him under his wing. In particular, he knew how to make him understand that to become a professional football player, you had to work in training but also at school: without that, there was no possibility of going to university and thus getting noticed by NFL scouts. », his mother Sharon for al.com
Brian Branch is the dream of any defensive coordinator: attentive, hardworking and willing to fit into a group. He is now looking for a new team and, somewhere, a new family.
Possible destinations
New England Patriots, Green Bay Packers, Los Angeles Chargers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Buffalo Bills
Devin McCourty has just retired after 13 seasons with New England. Versatile player par excellence, he was a major piece on the board of master Bill Belichik. Offering the same profile, Brian Branch could become his replacement. BB and Nick Saban (coach from Alabama) are friends, (especially because of the Croatian origins of their families), so the best college coach can give all the information necessary for the best NFL coach.
If the Boston franchise took another direction in the first round, others will position themselves. In particular, the Jacksonville Jaguars where Darious Williams was much better outside than in the slot in 2022. With Williams and the progression of young Tyson Campbell, the Jags are armed on the outside. They now need a player to defend inside the back line: Brian Branch would be there like a fish in the pool at EverBank Field in Jacksonville.
Brian Branch: 91.8 tackling grade last season
Highest among all defenders in College Football💪 pic.twitter.com/lCIbIrKLv1
—PFF College (@PFF_College) February 8, 2023
