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Joel Klatt reveals what Brian Branch would bring to NFL, gives mock landing spot

On3 imageby:Andrew Graham•04/14/23•

AndrewEdGraham

COLLEGE FOOTBALL NOV 12 Alabama at Ole Miss
OXFORD, MS - NOVEMBER 12: Alabama Crimson Tide defensive back Brian Branch (14) defends a pass in the end zone on fourth down against Mississippi Rebels wide receiver Jonathan Mingo (1) in the fourth quarter of a college football game on November 12, 2022 at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Mississippi. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

In Brian Branch, Joel Klatt sees a versatile secondary player who can do a bit of everything for his eventual NFL team. From playing in coverage to working down in the tackle box, Klatt is confident Branch can be a Swiss army knife at the next level.

Considering the all-around production in his college career and positional versatility, Klatt had no trouble making Branch a first round pick in his latest mock draft. And the squad getting him, the Jacksonville Jaguars, could benefit from more playmaking in the secondary.

“I gave them one of my favorite players in the draft, Brian Branch, safety from Alabama. He’s a really tough, hybrid-style player and when you talk with the people down at Alabama, they’ll tell you, this guy was a heartbeat type of guy. Now, I know will Anderson is going to garner most of that conversation but Branch is in that mold. I think that he can fit in a hybrid space. He can fit inside and outside. I think that he can also play deep safety, he can play down safety because he’s physical and tough enough. I just like Branch. And I like giving Branch to the Jaguars right there,” Klatt said.

To Klatt’s point, Branch made plays all over the field for the Crimson Tide. He finished the 2022 season with 90 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, three sacks, two interceptions, and seven passes defensed. It was the most productive season of his three-year Alabama career.

He capped his Alabama career and 2022 season with arguably his best collegiate performance against Kansas State in the Sugar Bowl. He had 12 tackles, including four for a loss, a sack and an interception. He couldn’t finish the game due to cramps, but he had done enough to help the Tide to a 45-20 win.

“Brian Branch has played well for us all season long,” Nick Saban said right after the Sugar Bowl, complimenting his play on that day in particular. “He made some big plays today. The interception was big. We got off to a great start in the second half with a big play and two scores in the first two minutes in the second half, which kind of broke the game open. His interception was a big part of that.”

With the promise that the Jaguars have shown on offense with Trevor Lawrence and Doug Pederson, Klatt has them adding a piece like Branch to create havoc and make plays on defense in the hopes of pushing further into the postseason.