Alan Branch-6'6" 330 lb. A viable option at #5

[Lomax to Green 84]

I hate Michigan!! I hate their tradition and their fight song. I hate their uniforms, their boring coach, their helmets. That being said, I really like Alan Branch. He reminds me a little of Richard Seymour. He reminds me a little of John Henderson. He does not remind me of Gabe Watson and that is not a knock on Gabe, its just that Branch is a different type of player. Watson is more of a Sam Adams/Ted Washington type plugger and Branch is more of a Seymour/Henderson type who is gigantic and athletic.

The last great Defensive Tackle we had was Eric Swann. Branch may not be quite as explosive as Swann, but he is bigger and probably a better run stopper at this stage of his career. The idea of putting Dockett at left end and Watson and Branch at Defensive Tackle on run downs is kind of intruiging. Branch is more of a 3 down Tackle than Watson and on passing downs could be used as a nose tackle in a 3-4 alignment or next to Dockett in a 4-3 on passing downs.

6' 6" inch, 330 lb. 22 year olds with great ability are not easy to find. Branch may be a viable option come April and would go a long way to making us a really tough team to run on.

 

[kerouac9]

I like Alan Branch as a definite option at #5. If anyone knows the importance of a great DT, it's Weis, who had to see Casey Hampton across from his squad in practices.

The only thing that I wonder about is his stamina. You just never know with these big guys. I'll wait until the scouting reports start to get released by the places I trust.

I'm going to wait until after the Combine and the beginning of Pro Days to start falling in love with players, but Branch is right there with Jamaal Lewis and Adrian Peterson as guys that I'd love to see in Cardinal Red.

 

[MadCardDisease]

I've been pimping Branch for the last two months. You can never have too many huge talented DT's on your roster. I am very curious to see how he does at the Combine if he attends.

 

[SuperSpck]

Huh, I'm intrigued and he will now be a name I pay attention to as all kinds of ridiculous information flows from the presses.

For example, what his 40 time will be, what his bench press will be, and what his favorite flavor of ice cream is.

Oh yeah, and game film. But really, who pays attention to that crap?

 

[OldDirtMcGirt]

I don't really want Branch. Don't get me wrong he's a great player, but I'd prefer Jamaal Anderson over him.

 

[Gee!]

Huh, I'm intrigued and he will now be a name I pay attention to as all kinds of ridiculous information flows from the presses.

For example, what his 40 time will be, what his bench press will be, and what his favorite flavor of ice cream is.

Oh yeah, and game film. But really, who pays attention to that crap?

If we could just get some kinda film of players eating their favorite kind of ice cream all would be good with the world..

 

[MadCardDisease]

He is Intense!

You must be registered for see images

And he stuffs the Run:

You must be registered for see images

And he can colpase the pocket:

You must be registered for see images

Just what the doctor ordered!

 

[Mulli]

Looks scary! I would accept it.

 

[Goldfield]

I want a linemen with the 5th pick. Joe Thomas, J. Anderson, or Alan Branch all make me happy. The DT is probably last of the three just because I think that is the least need of the three...

You cant go wrong with improving you line's...

 

[PJ1]

I want a linemen with the 5th pick. Joe Thomas, J. Anderson, or Alan Branch all make me happy. The DT is probably last of the three just because I think that is the least need of the three...

You cant go wrong with improving you line's...

Feel the same. If Thomas not there I really hope we take Anderson.

 

[Twist18]

I like Anderson but I think he will not be there when we pick. Branch is another Seymour or Henderson that makes our LBs much better by the pressure he puts on.
The one thing that separates Branch from other DTs is he has a non stop motor.

 

[cardsfanmd]

i said it a month ago and i will say it again. the man is a monster, i want him a.p. or thomas, not in that order, just any of the three would be great.

 

[1usctrojan]

He is Intense!

You must be registered for see images

And he stuffs the Run:

You must be registered for see images

And he can colpase the pocket:

You must be registered for see images

Just what the doctor ordered!

I was at the Rose Bowl....sorry, didn't think he was that impressive.

 

[Goldfield]

I like the idea of a big 6'6" complete Rusher/Run stuffing DE in Anderson.

 

[az jam]

I think for sure that JaMarcus Russell and Calvin Johnson will be gone before we pick. That means that one of the following should be there:

Joe Thomas (most likely gone to Detroit)
Alan Branch
Jamal Anderson

Bottom line is that we can get one of the top linemen.

 

[Goldfield]

Good, then stay at 5 & take the best one...

 

[JeffGollin]

If Branch is really that dominant, then why not?

Only thing is that we've done a reasonably good job recently at restocking our UT and NT positions with Dockett, Clancy, Watson and Lewis. If you draft Branch, you create a small log jam there.

If he's that good - and acknowledging the scarcity of quality DT's in the NFL - we could always draft him and then consider trading one of our other DT's, but that would take us into some fairly iffy waters.

As our roster continues to develop, there will no doubt be other situations where we'll have an overabundance of talent at a given position and will have to make similar tough decisions.I'm just not sure we're there quite yet.

 

[Brewster10]

Sorry, but Branch has done nothing in big games... 3 games vs OSU, he's been nonexistent other than catching a deflected pass for an int... and falling on a fumble... Against USC he did nothing...

This guy will control the line vs average competition, but can be contained by good teams...

I have no interest in this player, especially given that we have some pretty solid DTs to build with...

Get the pass rusher in Anderson or Adams... or trade down and get the big playmaking safety in Nelson or Landry..

 

[football karma]

Why I like Branch --

stopping the run is always important -- and to add a very large, talented DT in the middle isnt a bad thing. Adding him to the Dockett, Clancy, Watson, Lewis mix makes for a nice rotation and creates true depth at key positions.

Gives the Cards D a option to play Dockett at some end if they want to go real heavy against the run with a front of A. Smith, Watson, Branch and Dockett.

Why I like Jamaal Anderson --

With Berry's injuries, gives depth at the pass rusher spot in the short term and in the long term, gives the team the pass rusher of the future. He is big enough to move inside on pure pass rushing downs to give a front of Chike, Dockett, Anderson and Berry.

 

[imaCafan]

Why I like Branch --

stopping the run is always important -- and to add a very large, talented DT in the middle isnt a bad thing. Adding him to the Dockett, Clancy, Watson, Lewis mix makes for a nice rotation and creates true depth at key positions.

Gives the Cards D a option to play Dockett at some end if they want to go real heavy against the run with a front of A. Smith, Watson, Branch and Dockett.

Why I like Jamaal Anderson --

With Berry's injuries, gives depth at the pass rusher spot in the short term and in the long term, gives the team the pass rusher of the future. He is big enough to move inside on pure pass rushing downs to give a front of Chike, Dockett, Anderson and Berry.

Hmmmmm.....well thought out and makes perfect sense. But, what to do if both are there????? Russell, Thomas, Quinn, Johnson, Peterson....any 4 of these could go leaving both the DT and the DE. I say take Anderson because we are, compared to DT, thin at the DE position.....

 

[kerouac9]

Only thing is that we've done a reasonably good job recently at restocking our UT and NT positions with Dockett, Clancy, Watson and Lewis. If you draft Branch, you create a small log jam there.

Are you talking about Jonathon Lewis? Did he play a single down last season? Didn't we have to get Cooper because Lewis wasn't ready last year?

We know that Dockett and Clancy are good. We know that Watson's good for 20 or so snaps per game. But it's not like we have a ton of money invested in the position. We have Clancy and Dockett's contracts, and then a couple of minimum-salary second day contracts. I think that Lewis could also play DE, since he's a smaller one-gap guy, anyway.

If he can play at all.

 

[BACH]

I want a linemen with the 5th pick. Joe Thomas, J. Anderson, or Alan Branch all make me happy. The DT is probably last of the three just because I think that is the least need of the three...

You cant go wrong with improving you line's...

I Agree...

If, ceteris paribus, Anderson, Branch and Adams are rated the same, then I would prefer a DE over a DT. DT is one of our stongest positions, while our DEs are aging.

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

I Agree...

If, ceteris paribus, Anderson, Branch and Adams are rated the same, then I would prefer a DE over a DT. DT is one of our stongest positions, while our DEs are aging.

What did he say .

 

[Mulli]

ceteris parabus. Hail Caesar.

 

[Redsz]

Considering what Juercki just said about Whis wanting to get 'bigger' and 'stronger' at DT, I think this topic deserves a bump.