Top 10 Alabama Football players in 2023 NFL Draft: no. 3

Alabama Football lost nearly its entire 2022 secondary to the NFL Draft, including nickel/safety Brian Branch. Branch was arguably Bama’s best defensive player during his junior season.

The versatile defensive back was a 4-star recruit in the 2020 recruiting class, and was ranked as the third-best safety in the nation. Branch was a product of Sandy Creek High School in Georgia.

As a true freshman, he saw rotational snaps in the Crimson Tide secondary. He finished the season with 27 tackles, nine pass breakups, and two interceptions as a part of Bama’s national championship team.

Branch assumed a larger role as a sophomore, and was one of the most analytically efficient defenders in the nation. He made 55 stops for the year, including five tackles for loss. He also added a sack, a fumble recovery, and nine pass deflections.

Brian Branch’s responsibilities increased once again in his junior year, and he did not disappoint. He established himself as one of the most disruptive defensive backs in college football, making 90 tackles with 14 tackles for loss and 3.0 sacks. In coverage, he broke up nine passes and notched two interceptions.

Thanks to his breakout 2022 season, Brian Branch is one of the most sought-after defensive backs in the 2023 NFL Draft. Over his last two seasons in Tuscaloosa, he rarely missed a tackle. He  was elite against the run and an excellent open-field finisher.

As his career progressed, he gradually improved as a blitzer as well as in pass coverage. By his junior year, Branch was wreaking havoc off the edge and had become adept at forcing opposing offenses into mistakes.

Branch has received borderline first round draft grades, and even gotten comparisons to former Alabama star and current NFL standout Minkah Fitzpatrick. He is expected to eventually be a big-time playmaker in an NFL secondary.

Brian Branch is a huge loss for Alabama Football. Fortunately, guys like Malachi Moore and Caleb Downs look like they can pick up the slack.

Congratulations and good luck to 2023 NFL Draft entrant Brian Branch!