NFL Draft Rumors: Alabama's Brian Branch Outstanding in Drills, 'Stellar' in Meetings

Alabama defensive back Brian Branch struggled in combine athleticism drills, but that hasn't taken him out of first-round consideration.

Dane Brugler of The Athletic has Branch projected as the No. 15 overall pick in next month's draft, writing that teams came away impressed with his work in positional drills. One NFL source described him as "stellar" during interviews with teams.

Branch earned first-team All-American honors from ESPN and CBS in 2022 after racking up 90 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, three sacks and two interceptions as a junior. He's an excellent blitzer off the edge and was a three-year contributor at Alabama, giving him a production advantage over most defensive backs in this class.

A lack of off-the-charts athleticism will hurt Branch's draft stock in some eyes. His athleticism score ranked 27th among cornerbacks at the combine, and he ran a disappointing 4.58-second time in the 40-yard dash.

Bleacher Report's Scouting Department does not have Branch projected as a first-round pick.