2008 Season - Day 2 - Branch

100th overall.
Tyvon Branch, defensive back from Connecticut.
4.36 at 204.
One corner faster (D. Rodgers-Cromartie), and he's 20 pounds lighter.
The Raiders were shoddy tacklers in the secondary and were inconsistent on special teams. Branch was a sure tackler at UConn who should contribute immediately on special teams, both in coverage and as a kickoff return man. He will also get a serious look at safety, where the projected starters are Michael Huff and Gibril Wilson.

It's about as far from Storrs as one could get in the NFL, but that's no problem for UConn's Tyvon Branch. The cornerback from Cicero, N.Y., is heading to Oakland, Calif. The Raiders made Branch the first pick of the fourth round during the second day of the NFL draft Sunday. Branch was the 100th choice overall. Oakland moved up four spots, trading their choice at 104 to the Cowboys, to get Branch."That's been my dad's favorite team forever," Branch said. "It's a win-win for me." The 6-foot, 204-pound Branch had been projected as a likely second- or third-round pick. Branch was the 15th cornerback taken. "I was getting nervous there for a while," Branch said. "I thought maybe they all forget that I was even in the draft." Said UConn coach Randy Edsall: "It's great for Tyvon and great for our program. It's also exciting to see the Raiders trade up to draft him because it shows that they really want Tyvon. It's is exciting to see him selected by a franchise with such a great history and tradition and I'm sure he'll do well with the Raiders."Branch was the first of two UConn players chosen on the second day of the draft. Offensive guard Donald Thomas of New Haven went to the Miami Dolphins with the 29th pick in the 6th round, 195th overall.Thomas is a former walk-on who wasn't a starter until his senior season."Overall, I am excited to see this happen for Tyvon and Donald today. I can guarantee that neither of them were in anyone's top 195 coming out of high school," Edsall said. "I think it is a tremendous credit to our coaches, strength and conditioning staff, and especially the players themselves who ultimately made all of this happen. It is a real feather our cap as a program and shows that we can develop our people well once they get here."Branch, a state champion sprinter in high school, was getting little interest from big-time programs for his exploits on the field in high school. UConn was his only Division I-A offer. Syracuse came into the recruiting picture late.
At UConn, Branch quickly established himself as a player to watch as a true freshman, seeing action in every game his first year, mainly on special teams. By the end of the 2005 season, Branch had locked up a spot as a starting corner and continued to excel on special teams. By last season, Branch had cemented his reputation as a lockdown corner and one of the best kick returners in the country.Branch finished the 2007 season 13th in the nation with a kickoff return average of 28.99 yards, which included two returns for touchdowns. He ranked fourth on the UConn defense with 89 tackles and had a team-high 10 pass breakups. "Tyvon is a young man who had one Division I-A offer coming out of high school and he is a great example of the good things that can happen if you work hard and take advantage of your opportunity," Edsall said. "He has shown that hard work can pay off. . . . I couldn't be happier for him. The Raiders are getting a young man of very high caliber in Tyvon." Branch said he had no typical favorite team in the NFL growing up, but he likes the idea of the rough-and-tumble reputation of the black and silver. "That's the way I like to play," Branch said. "I've got no problem with that at all." John Sullivan, a Notre Dame center from Greenwich, went to the Vikings with the 21st pick in the sixth round, 187th overall.

Branch played in 48 games for the Huskies with 31 starts, mainly at corner back with one at safety, UConn said Sunday.

He led the Big East in kick returns last year with a 28.9 average after becoming the first player in UConn history to return two kickoffs for a touchdown in the same season, UConn said.

Branch made 230 tackles over his Husky career, capping it with a team-high 10 stops in the Meineke Car Care Bowl, including a tackle for loss.

Branch is the first Husky to have an affiliation with the Raiders, UConn said. As the 100th overall selection, Branch is the third-highest Husky draftee of the past 60 years, the university said.

"It's great for Tyvon and great for our program," UConn head coach Randy Edsall said.

A former track star from Cicero, N.Y., Branch's value was increased by his special teams ability.

"I really don't know how they want to use me," Branch said on a conference call Sunday. "I'm definitely a big special teams guy. I really like being on special teams. If they put me out there, I'll got to work."

"It's easy for me to transition from either position," Branch said. "I really don't know what position they want. I'm going to come in and work, and they can put me wherever they need me."

In a draft that was deep at his position, Branch was the 15th cornerback taken.