By now, we can all agree that the Detroit Lions got an absolute steal when they selected Brian Branch in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft. Especially after the rookie season he put together with 74 total tackles, 13 pass deflections and three interceptions.
Impact Play % for 2023 defensive backs pic.twitter.com/XHgV0pioh0
[affiliatewidget_smgtolocal]
— James Foster (@NoFlagsFilm) May 7, 2024
According to Pro Football Focus (PFF), no defensive back had a higher impact percentage on defense than Branch did in 2023. He had 62 impact plays (league high for defensive backs) and this gave him 7.10% impact play percentage for the season.
The 22-year-old defensive back led the 2023 Lions in pass deflections (13) and his seven tackles for loss were tied with Alex Anzalone for second-best on the team. Whether it be his first NFL game where he had a pick-6 against Patrick Mahomes or playing through injury and making leaping attempts to breakup passes, Branch was a key player on defense.
Last season, he played in 15 games with 9 starts but the expectation for him now is to be an every-game starter for the Lions defense. There’s a good chance for him to match or make even more impact plays in 2024 for the Detroit defense.