INDIANAPOLIS – Brian Branch was a Pro Bowl safety for the Detroit Lions in just his second season in the NFL. The versatile defensive back has already become a name young college defenders now entering the league are looking to study and emulate their game after.
"I can see a lot of similarities with a guy like Brian Branch for the Lions," Virginia defensive back Jonas Sanker said. "Just because of how versatile he is and how he can move around in so many different spots. He's a great tackler, but he's also very violent on the ball, so I think that says a lot about my game as well."
Branch recorded 109 tackles, eight tackles for loss and six quarterback hits while intercepting four passes and defending 16 more passes on way to earning his first Pro Bowl nod, playing both safety and nickel corner for the Lions' defense in 2024.
"I met (Branch) at a Pro Bowl dinner, so I got to chop it up with him," Georgia safety Malaki Starks said Thursday. "I watch a lot of his tape. Just trying to put his plan down with mine just being able to move around.
"He came in and impacted right away because of that versatility being able to move around and really understand the game of football."
Branch's versatility this season was unmatched in Detroit's defense. He played 329 snaps at free safety, 235 in the box safety role, 316 at nickel corner, 27 at the wide corner and even had 75 snaps on the ball along the defensive line and as a blitzer, per Pro Football Focus statistics.
The Lions return Branch and All-Pro safety Kerby Joseph, who led the NFL in interceptions last year with nine, but teams can never have enough versatile players with that Swiss Army Knife play style Branch has featured as a big part of his game. If Lions general manager Brad Holmes identifies one of those talents late in the first round or into Day 2 of the NFL Draft — Branch was a second-round pick — he might look to add them to the roster given how important Branch has become to Detroit's defense.
"I definitely like to watch his film. He makes a lot of plays. A lot of plays in the run, a lot of plays in the pass," Ohio State safety Lathan Ransom said of Branch. "He's a great player.
"Being as versatile as you can be I learned at Ohio State. I first played nickel and then safety. Always bring different value. I've also blocked punts on special teams. Any way I can get on the field and make an impact, that's what I'm willing to do."
Branch is quickly becoming a star in this league and that's obvious when the next flock of NFL safeties and defensive backs view his versatility as a benchmark of what they want to be and they're studying his film to try and get there.
"Guys like Brian Branch, everybody can't do that," Penn State safety Jaylen Reed said. "Them players that can play all three of those positions (strong safety, free safety and nickel) and they can play each level of the defense.
"I feel like they stay (in the league) the longest and are the safeties that are going to get paid the highest ... if you got that kind of versatility, it's just a huge asset to the game."
