5 things to know about Detroit Lions second-round pick Brian Branch

The Detroit Lions continued to bolster their secondary by picking Brian Branch with the 45th overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft. Branch joins Jahmyr Gibbs as the second player the Lions drafted from the University of Alabama. The Lions selected Gibbs with the 12th overall pick on Thursday.

The Lions landed Branch by sending picks 45 and 159 to the Green Bay Packers for pick 48.

Here are five things to know about Branch:

1. He was a four-star recruit

Before playing for the Crimson Tide, 247Sports ranked Branch as the No. 3 safety in the nation coming out of Sandy Creek High School in Tyrone, Georgia. Before committing to Alabama, Branch fielded offers from Georgia Tech, Oklahoma, Duke, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, and many other Power-Five schools.

2. Recognized as the top prospect at his position

NFL.com’s Bucky Brooks and Daniel Jeremiah both ranked Branch as the No. 1 safety in this year’s draft. ESPN’s Scouts Inc. also ranked him as the top safety in this year’s class.

How to buy Brian Branch’s Lions jersey

3. Branch played Calvin Johnson’s alma mater.

It’s never a bad thing to be mentioned in the same sentence with Detroit’s own Megatron, as Branch was a three-year starter at Sandy Creek High School, which is the alma mater to Lions legend Calvin Johnson. At Sandy Creek, Branch also moonlighted as a wide receiver and contributed on special teams.

4. Earned several top honors in his final season at Alabama

In his final season playing for the Crimson Tide, Branch registered 90 tackles, seven pass deflections, three sacks and one interception. He also had a 68-yard punt return for a touchdown. Despite earning First-team All-American honors for his efforts, he was Second-team All-SEC. Branch was also a member of their 2020 national championship team.

5. He’s extremely versatile

Because of his ability to slide down and play in the box, unique physicality and overall tackling skills, Branch is a player the Lions can move all over the field, including using him as a hybrid linebacker.

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