By Moses Joshua 
Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch earn national acclaim as Detroit’s secondary rises among the NFL’s best
As the 2025 NFL season draws near, the Detroit Lions find themselves in an increasingly familiar place—under the national spotlight. While last season ended with a postseason letdown, the buzz hasn’t died down, especially around a defensive unit that’s quietly become one of the league’s most dangerous. Now, two key members of that group are earning elite recognition.
In ESPN’s annual positional rankings—compiled after surveying NFL coaches, executives, and scouts—Detroit’s safety duo of Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph landed among the top five safeties in the league, coming in at No. 2 and No. 5, respectively. The results signal more than just individual accolades—it’s a warning to the rest of the league: Detroit’s back end is no longer just reliable. It’s elite.
Brian Branch: The NFL’s Rising Star at Safety
Brian Branch didn’t take long to make an impression. Entering just his third season, the former Alabama standout has already earned the reputation of being one of the smartest and most versatile defenders in football.
“I love Branch due to instincts and versatility,” an AFC executive told ESPN. “He’s been asked to do a lot in two years in Detroit and handled it all.”
Branch’s coverage ability was once considered his only question mark coming out of college. Two seasons and seven interceptions later, those doubts have been thoroughly erased. In addition to his picks, he’s registered 29 pass breakups and 183 tackles, showing his range and reliability in both man and zone coverages.
While he may lack top-end speed, his ability to read passing concepts instantly and disrupt plays before they develop sets him apart.
Kerby Joseph: The League’s Top Ball Hawk
If Branch is the cerebral anchor of the Lions’ secondary, Kerby Joseph is its fearless playmaker.
Joseph enters the 2025 campaign as the highest-paid safety in the NFL, fresh off signing a four-year, $86 million extension. It’s money well earned: Joseph led the league in 2024 with nine interceptions and posted an astounding 36.4% ball-hawking rate, the highest among all safeties with at least 30 targets.
“He has the stuff you can’t teach,” an NFC scout said. “Calculated risks, turnovers—he’s good at sensing opportunity without compromising structure.”
A former high school wide receiver, Joseph’s background gives him an edge when tracking the ball. His route anticipation and hands make him a threat anytime the ball is in the air, and his knack for game-changing plays has made him a cornerstone of Detroit’s defensive resurgence.
Lions’ Secondary Shaping Up as a League Powerhouse
With Joseph and Branch locking down the deep third, the Lions’ secondary is becoming the envy of the NFC. Both safeties are still in their early 20s, and their skill sets complement each other perfectly—Branch brings versatility and awareness, while Joseph adds dynamism and elite ball skills.
If Detroit’s defense continues to evolve, don’t be surprised if these two aren’t just among the league’s best—they might become the gold standard for safety duos in the NFL.