Guy's Behavior

What does it mean if a guy is protective of you?

This guy who is a friend of mine, we talk everyday but only when we run into each other because I have co op but because we're always on the go its never for more than a few minutes. He used to never really talk to me first outside of class though until this year, senior year (we have known each other since we were in gr.5 but were never close) Anyways for whatever reason he is almost protective of me in a way. Like if anyone was ever talking about me he defends me, he offered to help me in math like 4 times in the week and a half we sat beside he each other, he has told some of his guy friends to shut it and to respect me (I guess when they said something) because I'm a nice girl or I'm his co-op buddy (he has the same one as me but next semester) etc. when I was right there. Even when a few of the people I know came out of the school and interrupted our conversation, they started talking to me and as he was walking away he stopped and turned around and said hey why don't you let her go, your gonna make her late for class and kept walking and they were looking at him like wtf.

He has done all these things multiple times but I don't get why. He does it only to me as far as I know. Every time he tells someone to respect me or some other defence everyone looks at him so confused cuz he never does it to anyone else. What does this mean? Is this just a being polite big brother type thing or does he kinda have feelings for me? Because we're not bestfriends (I'd like to be though)
What does it mean if a guy is protective of you?
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