Brian Branch SAF Alabama: Scouting Report

Height: 6’0

Weight: 193

Overall

Brian Branch is a dynamic defensive back in Alabama’s hybrid defense. In his 3 seasons with the Crimson Tide, he saw action in 38 games, starting 20 of them. He is very athletic and shows a lot of versatility on film. He was used all over the field for Alabama’s defense and made a lot of plays throughout his collegiate career.

Pass Game

In the pass game, Branch played a lot of man coverage on film, primarily in the slot as a nickel corner. He has very good footwork and makes excellent breaks on the ball with his quick feet and burst. He has good ball skills and shows good physicality at the catch point to contest the catch and break up passes. He shows very good coverage technique on film but is not as fluid as more natural corners. His lack of size will also make it difficult for him to match up against bigger receivers and tight ends. In zone coverage, he has a very high football IQ in reading the quarterback and quickly getting to the intended target. When playing on the ceiling, he has the speed to cover a lot of ground but he plays his best when he can play closer to the line of scrimmage to better utilize his quickness.

Run Game

In the run game, Branch is a very good tackler in space and shows a lot of physicality. He continues to show off his football IQ to diagnose the run play and his burst in getting to the ball-carrier in a hurry. He has experience playing in the box on film and he shows the physicality and pursuit to make plays all over the field. While he is a strong tackler and shows a lot of physicality, his lack of size will make it difficult for him to get off blocks and he may struggle tackling NFL sized running backs.

Last Word

Brian Branch is a jack of all trades type of defensive back. On film he lined up in the slot, on the boundary, over the top, and even in the box but he projects best as a slot defender in the NFL with the versatility to be used elsewhere in different packages. He has the coverage skills to play man against slot receivers and the physicality to make plays in run support but his lack of size is concerning. He is a very good all around defender and is good at a lot of different positions and alignments but he is not phenomenal at any one position. It will be crucial for whichever team that drafts him to allow him to be used all over the field and in different packages to maximize his success. His physicality and speed will allow him to excel on special teams as well.

One-Liner: Brian Branch is a physical, yet undersized, swiss army knife in the secondary and in the right system, he can be a dominant playmaker all over the field.

Grade: 6.9 (Solid Starter on All 3 Downs)

Games Watched: 2022 - Ole Miss, Tennessee, Texas

Team Fits: Green Bay Packers, Washington Commanders, New England Patriots