Pro Career:
Drafted in the second round (33rd overall) of the 2007 NFL Draft after Arizona traded up (sent fourth-rounder to Oakland). Appeared in all 16 regular season games for the first time in his career in 2009, while also appearing in both postseason contests.
2009: Established career-highs with 20 tackles, two sacks and two passes defensed in 16 games … appeared in both postseason contests and recorded first career start (regular or postseason) in the Wild Card game vs. GB … saw action in the first two games as a reserve defensive lineman, playing both inside and outside … registered career-high two passes defensed and one tackle vs. Ind (9/27); deflected a Peyton Manning pass that resulted in an Antrel Rolle INT … part of fourth quarter goal line stand that prevented the Texans from scoring from the one-yard line on three straight plays in the final minutes vs. Hou (9/27) … part of defense that held the Seahawks to their lowest rushing output in franchise history (14 yards on 11 carries) @ Sea (10/18) … notched his first two career sacks @ NYG (10/25) on Sunday Night football … tied for the lead among defensive linemen with a career-high four tackles and one QB hit vs. Min (12/6); defense held the Vikings to 62 yards rushing, 67.2 yards below their season average heading into the game (129.2) and held RB Adrian Peterson to 19 yards on 13 carries … after being inactive for all of the 2008 postseason, started first career game in place of DE Calais Campbell (thumb) and recorded first career fumble recovery vs. GB (1/10/10) in the Wild Card matchup; recovered fumble on the GB 22-yard line, leading to a Cards TD and a 14-0 lead … tied for the team lead among defensive linemen with three tackles @ NO (1/16/10) in the Divisional game.
2008: Saw action in four games in 2008 ... inactive (ankle) in the season opener @ SF (9/7) ... in first action of the season recorded two tackles vs. Mia (9/14) and helped hold Dolphin RBs Ricky Williams and Ronnie Brown to just 53 yards on 22 attempts (2.4 avg.) ... recorded two tackles @ Was (9/21) and @ NYJ (9/28) ... inactive for the next 10 games ... inactive (cheek) vs. Min (12/14) ... was active for the first time in 11 games vs. Sea (12/28) ... inactive for all four postseason games.
2007: Played in the season’s final 11 games after suffering a hand injury in training camp … inactive (hand) for the first two games of the season … saw first career action but did not register any statistics vs. Car (10/14) … recorded one QB hit vs. Cle (12/2) and @ Sea (12/9) … totaled career-high three tackles @ NO (12/16) which tied for most among defensive linemen … registered first career pass defensed vs. StL (12/30).
College:
Entered the 2007 Draft following his junior season at Michigan … All-Big Ten Conference first-team choice by the league’s coaches and media as a junior … started all 13 games at left DT for Michigan’s #1 ranked rush defense, allowing only 43.3 yards-per-game … the team also ranked 10th nationally allowing 268.3 yards-per-game in total offense … recorded 25 tackles (17 solos) with two sacks for minus 16 yards, six stops for losses of 23 yards and two pressures … saw action in all 12 games, starting the final 10 … lined up at NT for three games before shifting to left DE for his final seven starts … appeared in 12 games as a reserve DE as a freshman.
Personal:
Full name Alan Keith Branch … attended Cibola (Rio Rancho, NM) High School where he was standout two-way lineman and FB … named Gatorade Player of the Year in New Mexico, earning All-State and all-district accolades as a junior and senior … picked up team MVP honors both of those seasons … recorded over 200 tackles with 15 stops behind the line of scrimmage, including six sacks, forced four
fumbles with two recoveries and one INT in his career … also returned five punts for TDs … in addition to football, he lettered three times in basketball, picking up all-district first-team and All-State second-team honors as a junior.
