The Detroit Lions' duo of Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph is widely considered the best safety tandem in the NFL, but both players are also equally worthy of individual accolades. In a recent poll of NFL executives, coaches, and scouts, ESPN created a list of the top-10 safeties heading into the 2025 season, and both Branch and Joseph landed in the top five.
In ESPN’s surveys, data was collected from over 70 individuals in the NFL, and they were asked to identify their top-10 players at each position. ESPN then compiled the lists to establish rankings and conducted interviews to gather explanations for their voting.