Zachariah Branch

Last updated

Zachariah Branch
2024-0901 Zachariah Branch.jpg
No. 17 – Atlanta Falcons
Positions Wide receiver, kick returner
Roster statusActive
Personal information
Born (2004-03-29) March 29, 2004 (age 22)
Listed height5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Listed weight177 lb (80 kg)
Career information
High school Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nevada)
College
NFL draft 2026: 3rd round, 79th overall pick
Career history
Awards and highlights
Career NFL statistics as of Week 5, 2026
Receptions 7
Receiving yards 46
Return yards 227
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Zachariah Eric Branch (born March 29, 2004) [1] is an American professional football wide receiver and kick returner for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the USC Trojans and the Georgia Bulldogs and was selected by the Falcons in the third round of the 2026 NFL draft.

Contents

Early life

Branch was born on March 29, 2004, the youngest of two sons to Sheve and Renee Branch. [2] His father is a sports performance coach. [2] Branch is the great-nephew of late Hall of Fame receiver Cliff Branch. [3] Branch and his brother grew up attending USC football games. [2] Branch was raised in Las Vegas and attended Bishop Gorman High School. [4] He was one of the top players in the 2023 college football recruiting class, ranked No. 6 nationally by ESPN and No. 9 by 247Sports. He was the top wide receiver in the class. [5] [6]

College career

USC

Branch enrolled at the University of Southern California in early 2023. [7] [8] In June 2023, he was recorded on a treadmill sprint at 26 miles per hour, close to Usain Bolt's top speed. [9] Prior to the start of the 2023 season, he was selected by 247Sports as a true freshman preseason All-American. [10] In his college football debut, Branch tallied 232 all-purpose yards, including his first touchdown reception and a 96-yard kickoff return. [11] [12] Following his first game, the Los Angeles Times wrote that his "feats had even his opponents in awe", [11] and his speed and ability to change direction drew comparisons to Reggie Bush. [13] [14]

In December 2024, Branch entered the transfer portal. [15]

Georgia

On January 5, 2025, Branch announced his decision to transfer to the University of Georgia to play for the Georgia Bulldogs, alongside his brother, Zion Branch. [16]

Statistics

College statistics
YearTeamGPReceivingRushingKick returnsPunt returns
RecYardsAvgTDAttYardsAvgTDRetYardsAvgTDRetYardsAvgTD
2023 USC 113132010.329707.812444218.411633220.81
2024 USC 124750310.712178.50510521.0013745.70
2025 Georgia 137374410.25471.801020520.501315712.10
Career [17] 36151156710.4815946.313975219.314256313.41

Professional career

Pre-draft measurables
HeightWeightArm lengthHand spanWingspan 40-yard dash 10-yard split20-yard split Vertical jump Broad jump Bench press
5 ft 8+5⁄8 in
(1.74 m)		177 lb
(80 kg)		29+3⁄8 in
(0.75 m)		9 in
(0.23 m)		6 ft 0+3⁄8 in
(1.84 m)		4.35 s1.50 s2.52 s38.0 in
(0.97 m)		10 ft 5 in
(3.18 m)		20 reps
All values from NFL Combine [18] [19]

Branch was selected in third round, 79th overall by the Atlanta Falcons in the 2026 NFL draft. [20] [21]

Personal life

On April 19, 2026, Branch was arrested in Athens, Georgia on two charges of obstruction; the charges stemmed from an incident in which Branch allegedly blocked a public sidewalk and failed to follow instructions from law enforcement. [22] On June 3, it was announced that the charges against Branch had been dropped. [23]

References

  1. ↑ Carpenter, Zack (October 22, 2021). "Zachariah Branch, nation's second-ranked receiver in 2023, cuts down list". on3.com. Retrieved August 21, 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 Uggetti, Paolo (September 19, 2023). "With electrifying speed, freshman Zachariah Branch is a USC phenom". ESPN.com. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  3. ↑ "Road to the Draft: Zachariah Branch carries close bond to his hometown team through ties to Hall of Fame receiver". raiders.com. Retrieved August 26, 2026.
  4. ↑ Sam Gordon (October 29, 2022). "How Bishop Gorman's Zachariah Branch became nation's top receiver". Las Vegas Review-Journal.
  5. ↑ "2023 ESPN 300". ESPN.com. Retrieved November 26, 2022.
  6. ↑ "2023 Top Football Recruits". 247Sports. Retrieved November 26, 2022.
  7. ↑ "Zachariah Branch makes mistakes but shows huge upside". Yahoo Sports. April 16, 2023.
  8. ↑ Thuc Nhi Nguyen (August 10, 2023). "'He brings it al': How freshman Zachariah Branch is shaking up USC's receiver corps". Los Angeles Times.
  9. ↑ Grayson Weir (June 20, 2023). "USC's No. 1 WR Zachariah Branch Comes Close to Usain Bolt's Top Speed During Ridiculous". Outkick.com.
  10. ↑ Chris Hummer (August 16, 2023). "247Sports' Preseason True Freshman All-American Team for 2023". 247Sports.
  11. 1 2 Thuc Nhi Nguyen (August 26, 2023). "Zachariah Branch shines in his college football debut, sparking USC to blowout win". Los Angeles Times.
  12. ↑ Luca Evans (August 26, 2023). "Freshman Zachariah Branch detonates in USC's win over San Jose State". Los Angeles Daily News.
  13. ↑ Crawford, Brad (August 27, 2023). "USC football freshman Zachariah Branch mesmerizes, draws Reggie Bush comparisons in opener". 247Sports. Retrieved December 19, 2024.
  14. ↑ Warren, Patrick (August 27, 2023). "USC Football: College Football Fans React to Zachariah Branch Debut". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on August 27, 2023. Retrieved August 27, 2023.
  15. ↑ Kartje, Ryan (December 17, 2024). "Zachariah and Zion Branch will enter transfer portal, dealing USC a substantial blow". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 5, 2025.
  16. ↑ "Branch Bros. commit to Georgia after USC exit". ESPN.com. January 5, 2025. Retrieved January 5, 2025.
  17. ↑ "Zachariah Branch College Stats". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved August 27, 2023.
  18. ↑ "Zachariah Branch Draft and Combine Prospect Profile". NFL.com. Retrieved March 3, 2026.
  19. ↑ "Zachariah Branch College Football Profile". DraftScout.com. Retrieved March 3, 2026.
  20. ↑ Kirby, Christian (April 25, 2026). "Georgia Wide Receiver Zachariah Branch Selected By Atlanta Falcons in 2026 NFL Draft". Georgia Bulldogs On SI. Retrieved April 25, 2026.
  21. ↑ McElhaney, Tori; McFadden, Will (April 24, 2026). "Falcons select WR Zachariah Branch with No. 79 pick in 2026 NFL Draft". AtlantaFalcons.com.
  22. ↑ "NFL Draft Prospect Zachariah Branch Arrested in Georgia". sports.yahoo.com. Retrieved July 4, 2026.
  23. ↑ "Falcons WR Zachariah Branch charges dropped, attorney says". espn.com. Retrieved July 4, 2026.
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