D.J. Reed Wanted Jets to Draft Lions Star in 2023

During an interview with the Lions team website's Dannie Rogers, Reed revealed that he told former Jets coach Robert Saleh the Jets should draft Brian Branch back in 2023.

I’m a big fan of Brian Branch. Even when he was coming out of Alabama, I actually told coach Saleh, I was like, ‘With the 17th pick, you’ve gotta get Brian Branch. This guy is a dawg.

The Jets actually ended up with two chances to draft Branch as he fell to the middle of the second round.

Instead, they selected Will McDonald in the first round and then took Joe Tippman two picks before the Lions landed Branch.

Those picks have worked out for the Jets as McDonald racked up 10.5 sacks this past season while Tippman started all 17 games at center.

The Jets passing on Branch has been great for the Lions. 

Branch was a part of 74 total tackles, including seven for a loss, and intercepted three passes as a rookie. He finished fifth in the Defensive Rookie of the Year voting.

In his second season he established himself as one of the league's best safeties with 109 total tackles, four interceptions, and 16 passes defended while holding opposing QBs to a 60.7% completion percentage when they threw in his direction.

Now Reed will get a chance to team up with Branch as part of a secondary that is loaded with talent ahead of the 2025 season.