Tyvon Branch life and biography

Tyvon Branch is an American football safety for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League.

PRO: Talented defensive back with outstanding speed…Emerged as a special teams standout, playing in eight games in 2008 before suffering a season-ending injury.

2008: Saw action at S and on special teams in eight games…Collected 10 tackles, one interception and had one fumble recovery…Returned six kickoffs for 89 yards, averaging 14.8 yards per return…(9/8) @ DEN: Made NFL debut, seeing action at S...(9/14) @ KC: Made first NFL interception, returning it 36 yards in the first quarter to set up a Raiders field goal…Assisted on a special teams tackle…(9/21) @ BUF: Recorded two solo tackles and had an assist…Had one special teams tackle…(9/28) vs. SD: Recorded one tackle on defense and two on special teams…(10/12) @ NO: Returned first career kickoff for 11 yards…Also had two tackles…(10/19) vs. NYJ: Handled all kickoff return duties…Returned a season-high four kicks for 62 yards…Recorded first career fumble recovery on special teams…(11/2) vs. ATL: Returned one kickoff for 16 yards…Selected by the Raiders in the fourth round (100th overall) of the 2008 NFL Draft.

COLLEGE:
Played in 48 games with 31 starts in the secondary and was UConn’s primary kick returner…Made 230 career tackles (133 solo) with 7.5 tackles for loss, including a half-sack…Intercepted three passes and broke up 18 more…Also returned 37 kickoffs for 980 yards (26.5 avg.) and a pair of scores…Helped UConn to its first Big East Championship in 2007 and a spot in the 2004 Motor City Bowl and the 2007 Meineke Car Care Bowl…Following his senior season, played in the Hula Bowl and was invited to the NFL Scouting Combine where he topped all defensive backs with a 4.31-second time in the 40-yard dash…As a senior, started all 13 games, 12 at cornerback, with one start at safety against West Virginia…Named second team All-Big East, team’s Special Teams MVP after leading the Big East in kickoff returns, running back 27 for 780 yards (28.9 avg.) with two touchdowns…The 780 yards are second-best in UConn history and the 28.9 average set a school record…Became the first Husky to ever return two kickoffs for touchdowns in the same season and one of just seven players in Big East history to do so…Twice named Big East Special Teams Player of the Week…Also made 89 total tackles on defense and in both punt and kickoff coverage…Returned a kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown against both Rutgers and Akron…His 184 kickoff return yards against Rutgers set a school record and also had a season-high 13 stops in UConn’s 38-19 win over the Scarlet Knights…As a junior, started all 12 games at cornerback and led all UConn defensive backs with 79 total tackles…Had 47 solo tackles, an interception and four pass break-ups while also both forcing and recovering two fumbles…Was one tackle off a career high with 10 against Pittsburgh, a game where he forced a fumble and had a half-tackle for loss…Responsible for two turnovers at Rutgers with both an interception and a fumble recovery to accompany his team-high nine tackles…Appeared in all 11 games on defense and special teams, starting the last five contests at cornerback as a sophomore…Had 42 tackles (21) while making a half-tackle for loss, two interceptions and broke up four other passes…Made a career-high 11 stops against Louisville, which was second on the team…In his first start of the season, recorded nine tackles against Rutgers and intercepted a pass…Appeared in all 12 games as a freshman…Earned a start at cornerback at Georgia Tech, becoming the only true freshman to start a game all season…Returned 10 kickoffs for a 20.0 per return average…Made 20 tackles (12)…Exploratory major.

PERSONAL:

Earned second team all-state honors at Cicero-North Syracuse (N.Y.) High School...Named second team All-Central New York and second team all-area...A tailback and outside linebacker for the Northstars...Won the 2004 National Indoor Track Championship in the 60 meters (6.82)...Gatorade New York State Track Athlete of the Year...Finished first in the state in the 100 and 200 meters as a senior, setting a school record with a 10.60-second clocking in the 100.

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