Zachariah Branch
 Branch ahead of the 2024 Vegas Kickoff Classic | |
| Georgia Bulldogs | |
|---|---|
| Position | Wide receiver Return specialist |
| Class | Sophomore |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | March 29, 2004 Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. |
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) |
| Weight | 175 lb (79 kg) |
| Career history | |
| College | |
| Bowl games | |
| High school | Bishop Gorman (NV) |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Zachariah Branch (born March 29, 2004)[1] is an American football wide receiver and return specialist for the Georgia Bulldogs. He previously played for the USC Trojans.
Early life and high school
[edit]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 and his brother grew up attending USC football games.[2] Branch was raised in Las Vegas and attended Bishop Gorman High School.[3] 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.[4][5]
College career
[edit]USC
[edit]Branch enrolled at the University of Southern California in early 2023.[6][7] In June 2023, he was recorded on a treadmill sprint at 26 miles per hour, close to Usain Bolt's top speed.[8] Prior to the start of the 2023 season, he was selected by 247Sports as a true freshman preseason All-American.[9] In his college football debut, Branch tallied 232 all-purpose yards, including his first touchdown reception and a 96-yard kickoff return.[10][11] Following his first game, the Los Angeles Times wrote that his "feats had even his opponents in awe",[10] and his speed and ability to change direction drew comparisons to Reggie Bush.[12][13]
In December 2024, Branch entered the transfer portal.[14]
Georgia
[edit]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.[15]
College statistics
[edit]| Season | Games | Receiving | Rushing | Kick Returns | Punt Returns | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | Rec | Yards | Avg | TD | Att | Yards | Avg | TD | Ret | Yards | Avg | TD | Ret | Yards | Avg | TD | |||
| USC Trojans | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2023 | 11 | 31 | 320 | 10.3 | 2 | 9 | 70 | 7.8 | 1 | 24 | 442 | 18.4 | 1 | 16 | 332 | 20.8 | 1 | ||
| 2024 | 12 | 47 | 503 | 10.7 | 1 | 2 | 17 | 8.5 | 0 | 5 | 105 | 21.0 | 0 | 13 | 74 | 5.7 | 0 | ||
| Career[16] | 23 | 78 | 823 | 10.6 | 3 | 11 | 87 | 7.9 | 1 | 29 | 547 | 18.9 | 1 | 29 | 406 | 14.0 | 1 | ||
References
[edit]- ^ Carpenter, Zack (October 22, 2021). "Zachariah Branch, nation's second-ranked receiver in 2023, cuts down list". on3.com. Retrieved August 21, 2023.
- ^ a b c Uggetti, Paolo (September 19, 2023). "With electrifying speed, freshman Zachariah Branch is a USC phenom". ESPN.com. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
- ^ Sam Gordon (October 29, 2022). "How Bishop Gorman's Zachariah Branch became nation's top receiver". Las Vegas Review-Journal.
- ^ "2023 ESPN 300". ESPN.com. Retrieved November 26, 2022.
- ^ "2023 Top Football Recruits". 247Sports. Retrieved November 26, 2022.
- ^ "Zachariah Branch makes mistakes but shows huge upside". Yahoo Sports. April 16, 2023.
- ^ Thuc Nhi Nguyen (August 10, 2023). "'He brings it al': How freshman Zachariah Branch is shaking up USC's receiver corps". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ Grayson Weir (June 20, 2023). "USC's No. 1 WR Zachariah Branch Comes Close to Usain Bolt's Top Speed During Ridiculous". Outkick.com.
- ^ Chris Hummer (August 16, 2023). "247Sports' Preseason True Freshman All-American Team for 2023". 247Sports.
- ^ a b Thuc Nhi Nguyen (August 26, 2023). "Zachariah Branch shines in his college football debut, sparking USC to blowout win". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ Luca Evans (August 26, 2023). "Freshman Zachariah Branch detonates in USC's win over San Jose State". Los Angeles Daily News.
- ^ Crawford, Brad (August 27, 2023). "USC football freshman Zachariah Branch mesmerizes, draws Reggie Bush comparisons in opener". 247Sports. Retrieved December 19, 2024.
- ^ Warren, Patrick (August 27, 2023). "USC Football: College Football Fans React to Zachariah Branch Debut". Sports Illustrated USC Trojans News, Analysis and More. Retrieved August 27, 2023.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "Branch Bros. commit to Georgia after USC exit". ESPN.com. January 5, 2025. Retrieved January 5, 2025.
- ^ "Zachariah Branch College Stats". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved August 27, 2023.
External links
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