Alabama signed 22 of its 26 commitments during the early signing period on Wednesday. To give fans a chance to get to know the newest Crimson Tide members, we are doing a series of overviews with each of the 2020 signees.
Next up on the list, four-star safety Brian Branch.
Brian Branch, Safety
Hometown: Tyrone (Ga.)
High school: Sandy Creek
Size: 6-0, 182
247Sports composite ranking: 4-star / No. 58 overall / No. 3 S
Rivals ranking: 4-star / No. 79 overall / No. 4 S
Commitment date: Apr. 20, 2019
Signing date: Dec. 18, 2019
Where does he fit in? Branch was a standout player on both the offensive and defensive side of the football for Sandy Creek high school. At Alabama, however, the 6-foot, 182-pounder will settle into the secondary — safety in particular.
Branch will bring the type of presence the Crimson Tide needs on the back half of the defense. He’s good enough against the run, but it’s his ability to create big plays and turnovers which should help him see the field early in his career.
With Alabama potentially losing Xavier McKinney and Jared Mayden at safety, a player such as Branch can really contribute as early as 2020.
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