![]() Branch at the 2023 NFL Combine | |||||||||||||
No. 32 – Detroit Lions | |||||||||||||
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Position: | Safety Cornerback | ||||||||||||
Personal information | |||||||||||||
Born: | Fayetteville, Georgia, U.S. | October 22, 2001||||||||||||
Height: | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||||||||||||
Weight: | 203 lb (92 kg) | ||||||||||||
Career information | |||||||||||||
High school: | Sandy Creek (Tyrone, Georgia) | ||||||||||||
College: | Alabama (2020–2022) | ||||||||||||
NFL draft: | 2023 / Round: 2 / Pick: 45 | ||||||||||||
Career history | |||||||||||||
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Roster status: | Active | ||||||||||||
Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||
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Career NFL statistics as of 2023 | |||||||||||||
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Player stats at PFR |
Brian Amani Branch (born October 22, 2001) is an American football nickelback for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Alabama.
Early years
[edit]Branch grew up in Fayetteville, Georgia, and attended Sandy Creek High School.[1] He was named the Georgia 5A Ironman of the Year as a senior.[2] Branch was rated a four-star recruit and committed to play college football at Alabama over offers from Ohio State, Oklahoma, and Tennessee.[3]
College career
[edit]Branch played in 12 games during his freshman season at Alabama and made 27 tackles with seven passes defended and two interceptions.[4] As a sophomore he made 55 tackles with five tackles for loss, one sack, and nine passes defended.[5] Branch led the Crimson Tide with eight tackles and broke up two passes in Alabama's 27–6 win over Cincinnati in the 2021 Cotton Bowl Classic.[6] Branch entered his junior season as one of the top safety prospects for the 2023 NFL draft.[7]
Professional career
[edit]Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press | ||
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5 ft 11+5⁄8 in (1.82 m) |
190 lb (86 kg) |
30+3⁄4 in (0.78 m) |
9+1⁄2 in (0.24 m) |
4.58 s | 1.56 s | 2.64 s | 4.45 s | 37.5 in (0.95 m) |
10 ft 5 in (3.18 m) |
14 reps | ||
Sources:[8][9] |
Branch was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the second round, 45th overall, of the 2023 NFL Draft.[10] In Branch's first career NFL game, he intercepted a pass from Patrick Mahomes and returned it 50 yards for a touchdown in a 21–20 win over the Kansas City Chiefs.[11][12] Branch became the first Lions player to record an interception return for a touchdown in his NFL debut since Lem Barney did so in 1967.[13] As a rookie, he appeared in 15 games and started nine. He finished with one sack, 74 total tackles (50 solo), three interceptions, 13 passes defended, and one forced fumble.[14]
References
[edit]- ^ "Sandy Creek alum Brian Branch picked in NFL Draft". The Citizen. May 10, 2023. Retrieved July 17, 2023.
- ^ Ezring, Cory McCann (June 30, 2022). "Prospect Breakdown: Brian Branch, DB, Alabama". SI.com. Retrieved August 24, 2022.
- ^ Rodak, Mike (December 18, 2019). "Alabama signs four-star Georgia safety Brian Branch". AL.com. Retrieved August 24, 2022.
- ^ Potter, Charlie (September 7, 2021). "Brian Branch seeing benefits of practicing at every DB position". 247Sports.com. Retrieved July 22, 2022.
- ^ Blackwood, Stacey (July 2, 2022). "Alabama's Brian Branch might be the most underrated DB in college football". Roll Tide Wire. USA Today. Retrieved August 24, 2022.
- ^ Casagrande, Michael (January 5, 2022). "Explaining the Brian Branch/Malachi Moore dynamic in Alabama secondary". AL.com. Retrieved August 24, 2022.
- ^ Brugler, Dane (August 18, 2022). "2023 NFL Draft safety class: Antonio Johnson, Brian Branch win with versatility". The Athletic. Retrieved August 18, 2022.
- ^ "Brian Branch Draft and Combine Prospect Profile". NFL.com. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
- ^ "2023 NFL Draft Scout Brian Branch College Football Profile". DraftScout.com. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
- ^ Twentyman, Tim (April 28, 2023). "Lions trade up, draft defensive back Brian Branch". DetroitLions.com. Retrieved June 21, 2023.
- ^ Williams, Charean (September 7, 2023). "Lions Knot the Game 14–14". NBC Sports. Retrieved September 8, 2023.
- ^ Maakaron, John (September 7, 2023). "Brand New Lions Defeat Chiefs, 21–20". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved September 9, 2023.
- ^ Ramsey, Jared (September 7, 2023). "Detroit Lions rookie Brian Branch introduces himself to the NFL in style with pick-six". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved September 9, 2023.
- ^ "Brian Branch 2023 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved April 20, 2024.
External links
[edit]- Brian Branch on X
- Career statistics and player information from ESPN · Yahoo! Sports · Pro Football Reference
- Detroit Lions bio
- Alabama Crimson Tide bio