What Nobody Will Tell You About NFL Draft Prospect Brian Branch

Alabama’s Brian Branch is supposed to be a first-round prospect in the upcoming 2023 NFL Draft.

That’s what a good number of platforms are saying.

CBS, Bleacher Report, Pro Football Network, Walter Football, Draftwire, Sports Illustrated, NBC Sports Chicago, Yardbarker, The Draft Network, San Diego Union Tribune, The Ringer and Fox Sports have all put a first-round grade on Branch within the past month.

All in all – – 39.6% of draft platforms out there have him going in the first-round at this current time.

Respectfully, they may be saying that, but the game film Branch has put out there is saying something completely different.

The game film should be driving the evaluations, and the game film never lies (see embedded below).

Branch lacks heart for the game

This is something nobody else on any other platform will tell you…

His reluctance and hesitancy to provide support was consistently spray painted all over these three documented games.

It’s not only on these three games, but his reluctance to get involved in tackling support is also finger printed all over the three games I studied the previous season in 2021, “Brian Branch is an Inconsistent NFL Nickelback – At Best.”

I counted several times in my scouting notes where he ran in half-hearted on blitz attempts – – a couple times he even stopped and quit half way through it.

Branch looks and plays small on game film

He wanted little to nothing to do with the run game and too often in pass coverage support, he only ended up by the pile after the fact.

His play was uninspiring and it will not move the meter for any team in the NFL.

Safety?

Being someone who has looked Bill Belichick in the eyes and convinced him to hire me with the Jets, it is an absolute mystery how these various draft platforms are referring to Branch as a safety prospect.

A majority of the time he lines up over the slot receiver. He looked much more like a nickel or even a corner than a safety on game film.

Once in a great while, he rolls back to a traditional safety spot, but again, it wasn’t that often.

Branch is best dropping in shallow zones and man coverage in the short to intermediate area of the field.

Granted, he tended to give up too much cushion at the intermediate level and allowed some catches, but he looked solid, especially covering slants.

He took that part of the game seriously.

Safeties need to excel in tackling support and providing help over the top.

That’s not Branch.

Not to mention he hits like a lightweight and he is anything but a sure tackler.

NFL projection

Like I said, Branch is a pure cover nickel back and he is anything but a first-round prospect.

He is maybe worth a flyer in the fourth round, but if I was an NFL General Manager, he wouldn’t be on my draft board.

I need players who show strong want and who show football is important to them. I want guys who want to win.

Branch didn’t show any of those characteristics on this block of game film.

#14 Brian Branch 6-foot-0, 193 pounds

Daniel Kelly’s Final 2023 NFL Draft Grade: Fourth-Round (I would not select him)

First Round Mock Big Board: TBD

Bust Probability: High

Projected by 40.0% (up from 21.4% November 7) of the NFL Draft Community to be a first-round pick as of January 5, 2023

2022 game film reviewed: Tennessee, Arkansas, Ole Miss and Utah State (click to view games watched to form this evaluation)

Level of competition: High

2021 stats: 55 tackles (34 solo, 21 assists), 9 passes defended, 0 INT., 1 sack

2022 stats: 90 tackles (58 solo, 32 assists), 7 passes defended, 2 INT., 3 sacks

2023 NFL Draft Scouting Report

Diminutive defensive back with decent coverage skill set who is reluctant and has below average tackling techniques. Lacks motivation. In pass coverage often lined up over the slot providing close coverage in the short to intermediate route levels. Didn’t show burst, but has above average straight-line speed. More of a tackle after the catch type lacking dynamic physical characteristics to be a playmaker. Projects to nickel. Hesitant in run support and not a sure tackler. Tends to hit low or come in too high. Overall, looked borderline overwhelmed even at the college level.

Final words

He doesn’t excite me at all.

Daniel Kelly is a former NFL Scout with the New York Jets. He was hired on the regime which featured Bill Parcells, Bill Belichick, Scott Pioli, Mike Tannenbaum, and Dick Haley. He currently writes for Sports Illustrated New York Jets and he is the Editor-in-Chief for First Round Mock. For more information about him visit his website at whateverittakesbook.com. He can be followed on Twitter @firstroundmock.