Alabama DB Brian Branch 'Very Comfortable' with Falcons; Fontenot's 'Critical Position'
INDIANAPOLIS - The crowd started with just five people, some 45 minutes in advance of the press conference.
Half an hour later, the number had tripled - and by show time, Alabama defensive back Brian Branch was looking at a four-deep, eight-wide mass of media members at the NFL Scouting Combine.
Branch, a native of Fayetteville, Georgia, just over half an hour outside of Atlanta, starred for three years with the Crimson Tide, earning All-American honors this past season.
The spotlight is quickly somewhere Branch, 21, has grown comfortable ... but the same can be said about playing for his hometown Atlanta Falcons, who hold the No. 8 overall pick.
Speaking to Falcon Report at SI, Branch revealed his mindset regarding the possibility of being drafted by Atlanta ...
"Playing for the Falcons would be huge," Branch said. "That's home - it'd be very comfortable. My mom and them are right up the street from the Falcons."
Branch's excitement about playing in Atlanta was evident in his expression during the answer - and the interest seems to be mutual.
The 6-0, 193-pound Branch said that he has a meeting set up with the Falcons for Thursday night, one of several formal interviews he'll perform at the Combine.
Further, Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot spoke at length Tuesday about the value of the role that players in Branch's mold bring to the table.
Branch largely played nickel corner (569 snaps, per Pro Football Focus) for the Crimson Tide, but he also saw action as a box safety (136 snaps), free safety (25 snaps) and outside corner (14 snaps) and spent time at the line of scrimmage (24 snaps).
Versatility is a key calling card for Branch, who was officially listed as the "star" corner at Alabama ... and Fontenot told reporters he finds the position to be particularly important in the modern-day NFL.
"That's a starter," Fontenot said. "Now, 75 to 80 percent of the time, you're going to be in that sub package. And so that (star) position, that's a starting position. And it's tough because you also have to be really smart because you have to do a lot of different things - you got to play the run, you got to pressure, there's so many different things that you need to do.
"But that's a critical position."
If there's a player in the draft who embodies the traits that Fontenot listed, it's Branch.
The former Sandy Creek High School star had a missed tackle of rate of only 3.3 percent, per PFF. In pass coverage, he earned a grade of 86.4, allowing only 6.7 yards per catch while adding seven pass breakups and two interceptions.
As a blitzer, Branch logged seven pressures, three sacks, three deflections, two hits and two hurries to earn a collective grade of 79.6. He finished second on the Tide in tackles for loss at 14.
Branch, also a standout special teams player who has a 68-yard punt return touchdown to his name, is lauded for his instincts and intelligence pre- and post-snap, a process that starts with film preparation during the week.
An immediate contributor at Alabama, Branch gave Falcon Report a day-to-day recap of his preparation process ...
"Tuesday, I'll start off by watching the whole game film from the opposing team," Branch said. "Wednesday, I'm watching strictly receivers - their tendencies and splits and what they like to do. And then Friday, I like to strictly watch third downs."
This consistency and detailed approach heled Branch turn into the player who drew such a big crowd at his press conference - but so did his upbringing in the talent hotbed that is Georgia high school football.
Rates as a consensus four-star recruit, Branch earned several notable honors, including 5A Ironman of the Year as a senior for his work as both a defensive back and receiver and All-County Defensive Player of the Year as a junior.
Previously, the idea of a standout high school football player from Georgia wouldn't be overly eye-raising ... but considering that Fontenot said his team denotes which prospects fit this bill, it's particularly interesting.
Initially asked about the talent of the back-to-back national champion Georgia Bulldogs, Fontenot quickly shifted the question to discuss talent throughout the state and the emphasis his staff puts on identifying homegrown players.
"There's a lot of good players from Georgia here," Fontenot said of the state, not only the university. "We, on our magnets, on our free agent board or college draft board, we put a peach on there if they're from Georgia. There's a lot of Georgia natives that are really talented."
Fontenot added that he and the staff are "really excited" about some of the prospects from Georgia, which could certainly include Branch - after all, his scouting report is practically a word-for-word match of what Atlanta's third-year general manager said he looks for at the "star" position.
By all accounts, Branch's fit with the Falcons - like the media-heavy press conference - simply feels "very comfortable" ... which could lead to a "huge" acquisition come April's draft.
You can follow Daniel Flick on Twitter @DFlickDraft
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