For all the noise around Detroit’s offense last season, the real headline this year might come from the other side of the ball. This time, it didn’t come from a free agent signing or a flashy trade. It came from a list compiled by NFL coaches, scouts, and executives—the kind of thing that doesn’t always make waves in July but reveals exactly what the league really thinks.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler's annual top-10 positional rankings dropped this week, and the Lions landed two safeties in the top five. That’s something no other team accomplished. Not the Baltimore Ravens, not the San Francisco 49ers, not any one of the other teams in the NFC North. Just Detroit.
Brian Branch checked in at No. 2 overall, trailing only Kyle Hamilton. Kerby Joseph came in at No. 5 after leading the NFL in interceptions last season, behind Xavier McKinney (Packers) and Jessie Bates III (Falcons). This wasn’t the result of fan polling or box-score watching. These were evaluations from the people paid to find elite talent, and they landed on a duo that’s really only getting better.
When your last line of defense is actually your first problem for offenses
Branch was praised across the board for his ability to handle whatever was asked of him. He moved from nickel to safety and somehow looked even more natural. With four picks, 16 pass deflections, and a 21.1% ball-hawking rate, he earned his Pro Bowl nod and climbed every rankings list in the process.
“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 he’s handled it all.”
Joseph came into 2024 with something to prove. He left the season as an All-Pro with a four-year, $86 million contract extension and a stat sheet that looks like it belongs in a trophy case. Nine interceptions. 12 pass deflections. A 29.2 passer rating allowed when targeted. He forced quarterbacks into mistakes at a rate no other safety could touch—36.4% of the time, to be exact.
“He has the stuff you can’t teach as far as the chance-taking that helps create turnovers but doesn’t hurt the framework of the defense,” said an NFC scout. “He’s good at taking calculated risks. You’ve got to give him credit. He’s worked hard for his opportunity.”
This isn’t just recognition for individual performance. It’s a confirmation of what Detroit has quietly built in the secondary. One player landing in the top five is a nod to potential. Two means you’ve built a foundation that offenses have to plan around.
Branch is still only 23 years old. Joseph just got paid and is entering his prime. The Lions didn’t luck into this—they developed it, trusted it, and now they’re reaping the rewards. When the games get tighter and the margin for error disappears, having two of the top five safeties in the league gives them a cushion other teams just don’t have. That’s not a projection. It’s what the league already sees.
And it’s something no one else has... which is pretty sweet.
