 I am now joined by one of the top TVs in this entire 2023 NFL draft class and all-american national champion. Brian Branch, how are you? I'm good. I'm doing good. You got a good smile. You ready for this draft to happen? I imagine. Yes, ma'am. All these draft prospects are keep calling me ma'am. I can't handle it. Okay. Before we get into football, before we get into how you're feeling and the vibes, there is something that I want to ask you because a few months ago, my friend, you tweeted, the great war on Game of Thrones was legendary. So I got to dig into this because, A, all of my producers on my show are obsessed with Game of Thrones still and they're the only people talking about it in 2023 because everybody's moved on. And so your next answer to this question is going to tell me a lot about you. Who is your favorite Game of Thrones character and why? It's between John, at first I didn't like John Snow, but he kind of, I didn't like what he did at the end, how he killed Daenerys. And I didn't like that. But overall, I'd say John Snow. What was he supposed to let her eat up the world? They both could have, they could have ruled the world together and like he just, he could have stopped her by, if he would have came, he could have stopped her, but he didn't have to kill her. Brian, so you're a man who wants it all. No mercy, dominant, wants to get out there and do his thing. And I love that. Is there another show that you're watching right now? I'm currently watching Snowfall right now. I see. I don't even know what that is. That's what the youngest actor watching. Tell me about that show. What is that? Snowfall is like Franklin. His name is Franklin. He's the main character. It's like the drug cartel and like, yeah, it's like the Ozarks. If you watch the Ozarks and Marco's a little bit. I did watch those. So that's interesting. Okay. So you're doing that because you're trying to keep your mind up. But what's going on with the draft because there's only so much that you can control. Tell me how you were feeling right now. Just right now, I just got done with my visits and just waiting right now. I can't really, I haven't, the crazy thing is with this whole process is like you, you just don't know where you're going to go. Yeah. How did the visits go? They went well. I went on like eight visits and I enjoyed all of them. Did you enjoy any more than others? Don't say. Say you liked them all. I liked them all. That's exactly right, Brian. Okay. Let's really get down to business because you, you truly are and we were having this, you know, it's a TV show. There's a production meeting and there's everybody's looking at tape of you or thinking, what do we want to ask him? We're so excited to have Brian on the show. You are so fun to watch. Your highlights are crazy and you play all over the place, right? You play nickel. You play safety. You line up everywhere. You can do it all. It's, listen, Tyrone Matthew is one of my favorite players. I'm going to see him at the draft in Kansas City. Minka Fitzpatrick does this thing. You remind me of those guys. So what is the biggest thing that you want people to know about your game? Just how versatile I am. Anywhere they need me, I can play, for instance, like safety. I can play free safety, playing the post, coming out of the box, fit the run perfectly. I can guard the slot receivers, the quick receivers. I feel I can do it all. Just one of those do it all and just at the next level, I'm ready to show everybody what I can do. Yeah. You're ready to take out over the world like John Snow should have in a game of thrones instead of killing Daenerys, but you were graded by PFF and NFL people. I don't know if you know this. They love PFF. We love grades. We love numbers. I know you probably don't, but they rated you the best tackler in all of college football last year, racking up 90 tackles on the season. You can do it all, but is there a spot that you prefer to play in at the next level? Safety, nickel, hybrid? There's not really a spot like I prefer. I feel like I'm comfortable with being a nickel or being a safety because I've been playing it all my life and just really anywhere they need me to play, I can play. It's well said. I mentioned Minka. What are your thoughts on him? The GOAT. Really? Yes, man. I've been looking up to him since I was in high school and he was in back in college. What do you like about him? Just when he got a nose for the football, I feel like he's everywhere. He can cover. He's one of those do-it-all safeties. He can cover, fit the run, blitz, playing the deep part of the field and just that's, I think that's what you look in for safety. Now, I'm so glad that we're having this conversation about our friend Minka because we saw Minka have that, well, he started his career in the NFL in that hybrid role that you're talking about saying, I'm so versatile. I can do it all. And that was with the Dolphins. But he really decided at one point, I want to focus on one thing. I want to focus on safety. Then he gets the trade that he wants and the role that he wants in Pittsburgh. And he turns into an all-pro just like that. So situation, the way you're utilized in a defense really matters. So with Minka and with you, I got to tell you, there's a lot of mock drafts out there connecting you with the Steelers in the first round. How does it make you feel? It feels good. I mean, if that's where I land, just to be able to share the field with Minka, I can learn a lot of stuff from him. Like I say, he's a goat. And I feel like he will make my gang, you know, go make me be the best version of me and just be able to share that feeling with him. Have you ever talked to him at all? No. How can that be? That's crazy. I know you guys didn't play in Bama together, but he's a legend. You're a legend. Like that's crazy. I've never talked to him. Yeah, I never talked to him. Maybe you're lying to me and you're really going to the Steelers in the first round after these interviews. Tell me this, I don't want to know what your favorite meeting was, but I do want to know what has been your favorite part of the draft process? Honestly, just going to these different places. A lot of these places I ain't ever been. Like for instance, like New York, I ain't ever been to New York and just seeing like the great scenery it has to offer. I feel like, you know, that's, it's a good experience just to go to these places. So what did you think of New York? I like New York. Yeah, I bet. And I'm sure they love you up there, but you're going to the Steelers. We all know that now. Okay. You, let me ask you a couple of questions. I mean, you had to sit down in these meetings. It's got to be nerve wracking. They're asking you all sorts of crazy questions. My question is, just looking back at your career at Bama, you practiced against literally some of the best at your time in college. What was the tougher job for you trying to pick off Bryce Young or trying to tackle Najee? Oh, both of them. But I'll say try to pick up Bryce. Bryce, Bryce is just the way how, because he may, for instance, he may look you some way and throw it completely different. And like, that's, that's an elite quarterback. You know, he probably wanted the best since I've been at Bama that I played against. And he just made me so much better over the times over the years. And he just, he's one of a kind. I feel like there's nobody like him. Should he be number one overall? Yes, ma'am. Yes, ma'am. There's that ma'am again. If Najee, Najee's outspoken, so I feel like if he heard you pick Bryce Young over him, he would not like that. Najee a dog too. Don't get me wrong. It's hard to talk to him. Where does Najee play? Stillers. Oh, interesting. Okay. We'll let you go. This is so great. So great to get to know you. Brian Branch coming to an NFL team near you. We're going to ask you some questions. Rapid Fire Style just to get to know you so these NFL fans can get ready and these offensive players know what they're going up against. But let's ask you some fun questions here. What is the favorite pair of sneakers that you own? Favorite pair is my Jordan 11, my bread 11. We love the 11. That's beautiful. Best player you faced in college? Best? I'll say like from Bama to? Sure. Best player I faced was probably Jalen Waddle. Jalen Waddle, we'd love to see that a Miami boy now doing the dance. You're not, you're not going to allow that on the NFL if you face him. Favorite Nick Saban saying? Uh, get your head on your eyes. Is that how he does it? Oh gosh. Favorite NBA player? LeBron James. Favorite NFL player of all time? I would have to say Troy Palamaro. Why? Oh my gosh. Another Steward. He's one of those instinctive players and just the way he has a nose for ball. Like he flies around. He's everywhere and that's the play you want. Do you have a nose for the ball? You keep saying that you said it about Minka. You're saying it about Palamalu. Yes ma'am. I feel like I have a nose for the ball. It's an instinct. It's like instinctive is what you're saying. Yeah. Yes ma'am. Yes ma'am. Gosh. It's a habit. It's a habit. It's a habit. It's a habit. It's a habit. You're like I'm well mannered. It's okay. Favorite superhero? Superhero. I had to say either, can I give you two? Yeah. Either Superman or the Flash. Or who? The Flash. The Flash. That's kind of old school. Is the Flash cool or not? Really? I mean to me it is. I watched like the episode of Season of Netflix. Okay. I don't even know that was a thing on Netflix. I'm learning so much. I'm learning about what is it? Snowfall and Flash. I got a list. I got homework. Next time I see you get your defensive rookie of the year award. I will watch both of those things. Last one. The NFL quarterback. Let's manifest this thing. The NFL quarterback that you cannot wait to pick off. Mahomes. Mahomes. Good luck. I appreciate that you want to take down the two times Super Bowl champion. Listen we are so excited for you. We are rooting for you. We can't wait for the draft. Remember where you go. How you're utilized. You can't control that. But you can control the kind of guy you are. The kind of guy who shows up and you got it. You got a nose for the ball. You're versatile. You got that Minka, Palamalu, Tyrone Matthews thing going on. We love you here at FNM. Thank you. Thank you for having me. Thank you, man. Thank you, Brian Branch. We appreciate you. Good luck. Thank you. Bye guys. Thank you so much.