NFL Draft: Notre Dame Safety Brandon Joseph Needs A Bounce Back Process

When former Northwestern All-American safety Brandon Joseph chose to transfer to Notre Dame, the news was met with extreme optimism. Getting a playmaker like that on the back end for the Irish was an exciting proposition.

Unfortunately the play did not live up to expectations. Joseph now enters this draft process with a lot to prove for evaluators as he hopes to hear his name called in the 2023 NFL Draft this April.

CAREER OVERVIEW

In Joseph’s one season with the Irish program, the talented defender collected 30 total tackles, an interception and a pass breakup in ten games. Joseph returned that lone interception 29 yards for a touchdown against Syracuse on the game's first series.

Joseph was also the team’s main punt returner during the season. He averaged 9.9 yards per return, which ranked 12th nationally.

The Texas native spent his previous three seasons as a part of the Wildcat program before transferring to Notre Dame for the 2022 season. After redshirting his first season in 2019 with the Wildcats, Joseph would play in 20 games over his next two seasons, selected as an All-Big Ten selection in both years. He was named a team captain during the 2021 season.

In total, Joseph recorded 159 total tackles, 10 interceptions and seven more pass breakups. His best season came in 2020, where he intercepted six passes in the Big Ten shortened season and was named as an All-American.

EYE IN THE SKY

The best film of Joseph’s career came early on in his Northwestern career, where he made some outrageous plays working from depth. Joseph is very comfortable playing on the roof, reading what is happening in front of him, and disrupting the passing game.

The 6-1, 192-pound safety brings a proactive approach to the field. When he is locked in and comfortable, he seems to see the game on an extremely high level. Joseph has good overall range to flip his hips and make plays to the sideline. His ball skills may be the best part of his profile, routinely finishing plays to create turnovers.

Joseph has also had some nice reps working from the slot in his career, although in limited opportunities. He has solid short area quickness to mirror and match effectively and play man coverage against certain types of slot receivers.

There are also tremendous flashes of physicality in the run game. When he is locked in and healthy, he can come to balance and bring some big blows. Unfortunately, that area of his game is maddeningly inconsistent. Joseph comes in for tackles way too out of control at times, leading to some missing tackles.

As an athlete, Joseph is a solid all around player but not overly dynamic. He will need to play with good instincts to be the best version of himself.

CURRENT PROJECTION

Joseph was once considered an early round pick but his projection has dwindled considerably. Based on his final two years of film, he fits more into the mid round conversation in rounds four through six.

The Texas native still has an important draft process ahead of him. He is slated to participate in the 2023 East West Shrine Bowl and should be expected at the NFL Scouting Combine so things could change.

WHAT TO PROVE

The 2022 season was not the comeback year that Joseph was hoping for. He is left to sell his potential and past play, a place that you don’t want to be as a prospect. The process has become very important for Joseph.

Starting in Las Vegas, Joseph will need to put together a good week at the East West Shrine Bowl. With the on field results being so mixed recently, he needs to show that the upside and ability is still there. If he is able to create some big plays, that will go a long way towards potentially making a rise throughout the process.

The NFL Scouting Combine is another opportunity for Joseph to impress. I don’t anticipate that he will blow it up athletically but any significant numbers he can put out there would be big for him.

Perhaps more importantly, both those events are a chance for Joseph to sit down with NFL evaluators and tell his story. They are going to ask why the film was so up and down over his final two years. He will need to be able to answer those questions and make decision makers comfortable with him.

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