Safety is a very interesting position for the Minnesota Vikings, especially with the future of Harrison Smith potentially being in limbo. It’s one of the reasons why safety has been somewhat popular with mock drafts. For The Win’s Christian D’Andrea has the Vikings selecting Alabama safety Brian Branch.
The Crimson Tide product does a little bit of everything for Nick Saban. Here is what D’Andrea had to say about Branch.
“Minnesota could opt for a cornerback here or beef up a veteran pass rush by being the first team to pull from the second tier of edge rushers. Instead, the Vikings get the draft’s top safety in Branch, a versatile defensive back who can handle multiple positions in the NFL.
The Alabama product is a ballhawk (23 passes defensed in three seasons) capable of creeping up to the line of scrimmage to wreak havoc (14 tackles for loss in 2022). He’d bring immediate value to the league’s 26th-ranked passing defense. His positional flexibility would be a boon for a team likely to add secondary talent throughout the offseason. Additionally, Harrison Smith is about to turn 34 years old; drafting Branch gives the Vikings a viable succession plan.”
The succession plan line doesn’t make a ton of sense. Wasn’t that what Lewis Cine was drafted for? I suppose it is possible that they move on from Smith, but a safety in round one two years in a row feels odds at best.
If the Vikings select Branch, it would likely be to play in the slot and be a third safety for three safety looks.