Aaron Glenn Reveals Brian Branch’s Key Insight Behind Malachi Moore’s Draft Selection

When New York Jets head coach Aaron Glenn faced a pivotal decision during the draft, he turned to someone he trusted implicitly—Pro Bowl safety Brian Branch. The player in question? Malachi Moore, an Alabama standout whose leadership and versatility had already made waves in college football.

With Branch’s glowing endorsement, calling Moore a “dog” on the field, Glenn knew he had found a prospect who could bring a winning edge to his team. In a recent press conference, Coach Glenn shared how he relied on Brian Branch’s advice to secure Malachi Moore in the draft.

Aaron Glenn Leans on Brian Branch’s Advice to Secure Malachi Moore in Draft

The New York Jets drafted Alabama safety Moore with the 130th overall pick in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Though the Alabama native is a talented player, the decision wasn’t easy for the Jets. They had concerns about his injury history.

Aaron Glenn on the #Jets defensive picks today:

“Malachi Moore was a guy I talked to Brian Branch before the draft, & he gave me some really good insight on that player. Moore being a captain, that tells what he is. He’s gonna come in & have a chance to compete for a safety… pic.twitter.com/UKRICg6y58

— Harrison Glaser (@NYJetsTFMedia) April 26, 2025

Moore’s 2024 season ended early because of hernia surgery. He also missed Alabama’s bowl game and didn’t participate in NFL Combine drills. However, his performance when healthy told a different story.

During his college career at Alabama, Malachi Moore stood out as a key leader in Nick Saban’s program. He recorded 214 tackles, 16 tackles-for-loss, 2.5 sacks, and seven interceptions over four years. In 2024, he led Alabama in pass breakups (7) and tied for forced fumbles (2). He was also part of Alabama’s 2020 national championship team.

With all the uncertainty, Coach Glenn decided to lean on someone he trusted — Detroit Lions safety Brian Branch. Branch, having played alongside Moore at Alabama, was well-aware of the leadership dynamo’s contributions.

“I talked to Brian Branch before the draft, and he gave me some really good insight on that player,” Glenn said. “Actually, he was the starter right before Branch actually ended up getting the job; he had an injury. Him being a captain that tells what he is, so he’s going to come in and have a chance to compete for a safety spot.”

He also shared what Branch said about the Alabama standout.

“The first thing that came out of his mouth was ‘dog.’ Listen, when you hear that, I mean shoot that gets you excited about the player, and then having a chance to watch him on tape and see exactly how he operates, man, listen, he fits us to a tee,” Aaron said.

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Glenn, who previously helped Branch earn a Pro Bowl spot as Detroit’s defensive coordinator, is hoping to do the same with Moore. The support from Branch and Moore’s strong college record has the Jets excited about what he can bring to their defense.