Brian Branch was an emerging superstar for Alabama’s defense in 2022, and he really started growing into the star that he is in the second half of the season.

Earlier Monday, Bryce Young, Will Anderson and Jahmyr Gibbs announced they would enter the NFL Draft, and Branch followed suit Monday afternoon with a social media post.

“After thoughtful conversations with my family and coaches, I’ve decided to forgo my senior year and enter the 2023 NFL Draft,” Branch’s statement said. “This has been a dream of mine since I could remember and I’m ready to embrace this next journey for my life.”

 

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Branch, the junior from Fayetteville, Georgia, was named a first-team All-American in 2022 by multiple outlets and will be a high pick in the upcoming NFL Draft.

During his 3-year career, Branch racked up 172 tackles and 3 INTs. Ninety of those tackles came during his exceptional 2022 season.

Branch signed with Alabama in the 2020 recruiting cycle. He was rated a 4-star prospect and was ranked as the No. 3 overall safety for the class of ’20, according to 247Sports Composite Rankings.