Silver and Black Report

In the days after Oakland made their selection, defensive coordinator Rob Ryan gave some insight on how they planned to use one of the fastest players clocked at the combine. “We think he’s going to be a safety for us. He’s going to be a good, solid player.”

He continued, “[Branch] is a hard-hitting young man. He’s really fun to watch.”

Branch’s presence along with the depth and competition at safety facilitated Oakland’s move to waive Stuart Schweigert.

The Raiders also feel that Branch can fill a role occupied last year by Chris Carr – who departed to Tennessee – as a returner on special teams. Ryan commented, “We’ve seen just about every game they’ve played this year and really we’re excited about him, and I know our special teams coach Brian Schneider is really excited about his returnability also.”