Brian Branch has found his first home in the NFL during Day 2 of the 2023 NFL Draft.

The Detroit Lions selected Branch with the 45th overall pick (14th pick of the second round) to help improve the team’s secondary. Branch should get a shot to contribute right out of the gate for a defense that needed some help in the secondary entering the 2023 season.

Branch reunites with Alabama RB Jahmyr Gibbs with the Lions taking Gibbs in the first round Thursday night. Detroit selected the RB with its first pick of the draft at No. 12 overall.

The Lions have already used 4 picks in the draft, selecting 2 players on either side of the ball. The defensive pieces for Detroit are Iowa LB Jack Campbell and Branch.

During the 2022 season, the Lions gave up 25.1 points per game and 26 passing touchdowns as a defense. Those numbers put Detroit near the bottom of the league for defense and held back an offense that averaged 26.6 points per game.

Branch should help those numbers as a truly versatile defender on the backend. He finished the 2022 season with 90 tackles, 14 TFL, 3 sacks, 2 interceptions and 7 pass breakups for the Crimson Tide.