Brandon Joseph NFL Draft Overview
Position: Safety
Height: 6′-0″
Weight: 202 pounds
School: Notre Dame
2023 NFL Draft: Brandon Joseph Scouting Report
After spending the majority of his collegiate career at Northwestern, Brandon Joseph transferred to Notre Dame to spend his 2022 season with the Fighting Irish. That decision paid off, as the safety finished his final year at the college level with a strong performance. During his time on the field, Joseph allowed just 11 receptions on 17 targets for 80 yards, one touchdown, and one interception.
Joseph first made a name for himself in the 2020 season. Seeing the field for 620 snaps, the safety finished the year by allowing just eight receptions on 24 targets for 50 yards, no touchdowns, and six interceptions. This was likely the best season of his career, and he was never able to recapture the magic of that campaign. Still, he put up a solid 2021, allowing 26 receptions on 32 targets for 214 yards, one touchdown, and three interceptions.
Strengths
- Unreal anticipation and understanding of the game – breaks on throws before the quarterback even releases the ball;
- Nose for the football with reliable hands;
- Smart zone defender that can diagnose route concepts and won’t get fooled by a quarterback’s eyes;
- Has a history of moving around in the secondary, although he’s best at free safety;
- Knows his own limitations and doesn’t try to play outside his skillset.
Weaknesses
- Lacks the speed required to play deep safety in Cover 1;
- Poor tackling fundamentals and below-average strength make him a liability against the run;
- All-around pedestrian athleticism caps his ceiling;
- Can be juked out by quickness;
- Lacks recovery speed when receivers get behind him.
NFL Comparison: Slower Duron Harmon
Teams With Need at Position: Pittsburgh Steelers, Buffalo Bills, Cincinnati Bengals, Philadelphia Eagles, Kansas City Chiefs, New Orleans Saints, Los Angeles Chargers
Projection: Round 5
Bottom Line on Brandon Joseph
If Brandon Joseph were 2/10th of a second faster, he’d have a real future in this league and probably be a second-round pick. Unfortunately, Joseph plays a position where speed is crucial, so his below-average range is a serious problem. It’s a shame too because when you watch him, you can clearly tell that he knows everything he’s supposed to be doing on any given play.
Despite his subpar speed, he’s still able to make plays on the ball and cut off throwing lanes because he’s just that good at anticipating where the ball is going. This isn’t just a case of him being a high-risk, high-reward gambler, as he rarely guesses incorrectly. He’s also smart enough to not get fooled by a quarterback’s eyes, choosing to instead diagnose route patterns to get an idea of where the ball is going to go.
If he had better speed, Joseph would be an ideal free safety in Cover 1 schemes. Unfortunately, he simply doesn’t have the range required to go sideline to sideline. This limits him to a Cover 2 scheme, which means fewer teams will be interested in drafting him. Slower safeties can survive in the NFL, but they generally need to play closer to the line of scrimmage. This is a problem for Joseph, as he is a below-average run defender and his tackling fundamentals have a long way to go.
Ultimately, Brandon Joseph enters the NFL Draft as a player that will probably spend most of his career as a backup. He’s an intelligent guy that will provide plenty of value in nickel and dime packages, but he lacks the athleticism and strength to become an every-down player.
Main Photo: Kirby Lee – USA Today Sports
