Rookie defensive back Brian Branch returned to the Lions' lineup Sunday in Baltimore and picked right up where he left off before an ankle injury suffered late in Detroit's Week 4 win in Green Bay forced him to miss two games.
Branch allowed two receptions for a total of 15 yards vs. the Ravens and had a couple tackles and a tackle for loss.
From Day 1 of arriving in Detroit following the Lions moving up in the second round of this year's NFL Draft to select Branch No. 45 overall, it's been hard for coaches to take him off the field. It was clear early in OTAs Branch was an instinctive player at such a young age. He quickly established himself as the best slot cornerback on the roster.
He's an elite run defender, he's good in man coverage and in five games he has racked up 27 tackles, four tackles for loss, four passes defended and an interception he returned for a touchdown.
"He's been really good and I'm really happy with how he's played," Lions defensive backs coach Brian Duker said of Branch on Wednesday.
Branch came to Detroit as an advanced man coverage corner, and he's continued to show that trait in the NFL. Duker said the next step for Branch is continuing to learn the intricacies of the playbook and understanding the big picture of how everyone works within the scheme and how offenses try to attack it.
"He's continuing to learn the playbook and kind of understand alright now that he understands his assignment, he can spend more time anticipating what offensive concepts are coming," Duker said.
Branch's football intelligence and instincts are through the roof and that's why he plays as fast as he does and makes so many plays on a weekly basis. As he continues to understand offensive concepts and how teams look to attack him he'll be better equipped to counter and his game will continue to evolve.
View photos of the starters for the Las Vegas Raiders.
Head Coach Josh McDaniels
Offensive Coordinator: Mick Lombardi
Defensive Coordinator: Patrick Graham
Special Teams Coordinator: Tom McMahon
(AP Photo/John Locher)
WR Davante Adams
Backed up by Kristian Wilkerson
(AP Photo/Kamil Krzaczynski)
T Kolton Miller
Backed up by Justin Herron
(AP Photo/Kamil Krzaczynski)
G Dylan Parham
Backed up by Jordan Meredith
(AP Photo/Jeff Lewis)
C Andre James
Backed up by Jordan Meredith
(AP Photo/Jeff Lewis)
G Greg Van Roten
Backed up by Jordan Meredith
(AP Photo/Matt Durisko)
T Jermaine Eluemunor
Backed up by Thayer Munford Jr.
(AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
TE Austin Hooper
Backed up by Michael Mayer and Jesper Horsted
(AP Photo/John Locher)
WR Jakobi Meyers
Backed up by DeAndre Carter
(AP Photo/John Locher)
WR Hunter Renfrow
Backed up by Tre Tucker
(AP Photo/John Locher)
QB Jimmy Garoppolo
Backed up by Brian Hoyer and Aidan O'Connell
(AP Photo/John Locher)
RB Josh Jacobs
Backed up by Zamir White, Ameer Abdullah, and Brandon Bolden
(AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
FB Jakob Johnson
(Ben Liebenberg via AP)
DE Maxx Crosby
Backed up by Isaac Rochell
(AP Photo/Jeff Lewis)
DT Jerry Tillery
Backed up by John Jenkins and Nesta Jade Silvera
(AP Photo/John Locher)
DT Bilal Nichols
Backed up Adam Butler and Byron Young
(AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
DE Malcolm Koonce
Backed up by Tyree Wilson
(AP Photo/Jeff Lewis)
LB Robert Spillane
Backed up by Kana'i Mauga
(AP Photo/Jeff Lewis)
LB Divine Deablo
(AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
LB Luke Masterson
Backed up by Amari Burney
(AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
CB Nate Hobbs
Backed up by Jakorian Bennett and David Long Jr.
(AP Photo/Jeff Lewis)
CB Marcus Peters
Backed up by Amik Robertson
(AP Photo/Jeff Lewis)
S Marcus Epps
Backed up by Roderic Teamer and Chris Smith II
(John McGillen via AP)
S Tre'von Moehrig
Backed up by Isaiah Pola-Mao
(AP Photo/Jeff Lewis)
K Daniel Carlson
(AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
P/H AJ Cole
(AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
LS Jacob Bobenmoyer
(AP Photo/Bart Young)
PR/KR DeAndre Carter
Backed up by Ameer Abdullah and Hunter Renfrow
(AP Photo/Jeff Lewis)
Branch has a quiet, serious personality. Duker joked Wednesday that he sometimes has to get on the rookie to be louder and more demonstrative when making some of the defensive calls and checks in certain situations.
Branch has become an important player in Detroit's defense and coaches like Duker see the sky as the limit to how good he can be the more he sees the field and understands how teams try to attack him and the Lions' defense.
