Brian Branch sounds locked in for big season following frustrating NFL snub

Originally posted on Side Lion Report | By Max DeMara | Last updated Aug 26, 2025 12:05 PM ET

The Detroit Lions have enjoyed plenty of success lately, and as a result, have generated tons of headlines and seen many of their players earn well-deserved praise.

Once upon a time, the Lions were only likely to land one player on an NFL top 100 list. Usually, it was Matthew Stafford or Calvin Johnson. Now, though, their roster is deeper and there are plenty of players who make a compelling case to be amongst the league's best, especially on offense.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Lions have some underrated talent that has stepped up in the last few seasons. Safety Brian Branch has emerged quickly to become one of the most valuable defenders in Detroit, but he might be undervalued in NFL circles.

Despite being a Pro Bowler in 2024 that put up 109 tackles and four interceptions, Branch wasn't named to the NFL top 100 list. In spite of that, he was interviewed multiple times about other players who did get the honor of being included. The imbalance clearly didn't sit well with him.

Brian Branch’s reaction to being snubbed from the NFL Top 100 list pic.twitter.com/QBk5cKLQ1I
— (@the_det_times) August 25, 2025

As Branch said in the post, he's now noting the fact that he was asked to provide plenty of input about players on the list without actually being included himself.

Branch already plays with a major edge, so the thought that he could be any more motivated is a scary one for the opposition. Since falling in the 2023 draft, Branch has taken it upon himself to be one of the toughest and most impressive young defensive backs in the league. Now that he feels slighted, he is likely to work even harder to make a perminant name for himself.

Brian Branch looking forward to proving himself again with Lions

To the naked eye, Branch doesn't have much left to prove given the valuable role he has already cemented with the Lions. Reality is often different to a player that has lofty career goals and major expectations for themselves.

According to Branch during training camp this season, he believes he has one thing to improve upon in order to take the next step, and it's being more consistent across the board during the year.

"I feel like towards the end of the year, even though I switched back from nickel, I feel my consistency wasn't there. I feel like (being consistent) is the main key this year."