Brian Branch NFL Draft 2023: Scouting Report for Detroit Lions' S

HEIGHT: 6'0"

WEIGHT: 190

HAND: 9 1/2"

ARM: 30 3/4"

WINGSPAN: 75 1/4"

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40-YARD DASH: 4.58

3-CONE: TBD

SHUTTLE: TBD

VERTICAL: 34.5"

BROAD: 10'5"

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POSITIVES

— Highly versatile player who has the ability to play multiple positions in the defensive secondary. Primarily plays the nickel spot, but often goes back to safety as well.

— Smooth backpedal, with ability to keep leverage. Fluid hips to open and run.

— Gets out of breaks quickly with a burst when driving on the ball.

— Shows very good awareness and understanding of routes in zone coverage.

— Uses hands well when taking on blocks and isn't afraid to be physical. Uses his quickness to beat blocks in the open field.

— Good tackler who delivers a blow on contact and does a good job of getting ball-carriers on the ground.

— Active player in the offensive backfield. Shoots gaps and is a very good blitzer.

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NEGATIVES

— Has struggled in man coverage at times. Can be slow out of transitions with poor eyes and route recognition at times.

— Lacks the top-end speed and burst to carry elite vertical threats.

— Can be in position but gets turned around at times when downfield. Loses track of the ball and has poor timing when breaking up passes, leading to penalties.

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2022 STATISTICS

— 13 G, 90 TOT, 14 TFL, 3 SK, 2 INT, 7 PD

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NOTES

— Started 20 games

— ESPN top 300 prospect

— Consensus 4-star prospect in high school

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OVERALL

Brian Branch is an extremely versatile player who played at multiple positions for Alabama throughout his career. He has a high football IQ, along with the physical skills to play nickel and safety. He has good size for a defensive back and plays with good physicality in the run game.

When playing the run, Branch does a good job of making quick reads and triggering downhill to the ball-carrier. He plays with proper leverage and uses his hands well to take on blocks and quickly disengage.

When in space, Branch excels in tackling and getting the ball-carrier down on the ground. An effective blitzer as well, he does a good job of working on the edge of linemen while also showing the ability to bend and shoot gaps.

While playing the pass, Branch primarily works from off coverage, where he can use his pedal to maintain his cushion and leverage. When playing shorter to intermediate routes, he does a very good job of breaking and staying on the receiver's hips, although he often struggles to finish plays and record pass breakups.

When playing in zone coverage, Branch has very good route recognition and anticipation. Especially when playing deep safety, he excels at playing the quarterback's eyes and getting good jumps on passes. He also has an opportunistic side, as he capitalized on errant or misplaced throws. Although Branch has decent speed, he struggled to covering some of the faster threats in college football.

Ultimately, Branch's versatility makes him a valuable prospect. He could earn a starting position early on in his NFL career and can add depth to other positions in the secondary if needed. He will need to continue to work on his man coverage skills, but if used correctly, Branch can have a very good NFL career.

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GRADE: 7.8 (Potential Impact Player/Round 2)

OVERALL RANK: 30

POSITION RANK: S1

PRO COMPARISON: Justin Reid

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Written by B/R NFL Scout Cory Giddings