Zachariah Branch

Zachariah Branch (born March 29, 2004) is an American football wide receiver and return specialist for the USC Trojans.

Early life and high school
Branch was born on March 29, 2004, the youngest of two sons to Sheve and Renee Branch. His father is a sports performance coach. Branch and his brother grew up attending USC football games. Branch was raised in Las Vegas and attended Bishop Gorman High School. 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.

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