Georgia And Former Usc Star Wr Zachariah Branch Arrest May Not Impact His Draft Status

Former USC and Georgia receiver Zachariah Branch was arrested early Sunday successful Athens, Ga., for not moving acold capable connected a nationalist sidewalk erstwhile a constabulary serviceman asked him to do so.

Branch, wide projected to spell successful nan 2nd information of nan NFL draught later this week, faces misdemeanor charges of obstructing nationalist sidewalks, prowling and obstructing a rule enforcement officer. According to a constabulary report, he was booked astatine 1:26 a.m. and released astatine 3:44 a.m. aft posting a $39 bond.

Branch, who led nan Southeastern Conference and group a Georgia grounds pinch 81 receptions successful 2025, was successful Athens for Georgia’s outpouring crippled connected Saturday. He transferred to Georgia aft 2 seasons astatine USC, wherever he had 78 catches for 823 yards. He besides was a first-team All-American footwear returner arsenic a freshman.

The Athens Clarke County constabulary study was obtained by NFL Network:

“A male, later identified arsenic Zacharia [sic] Branch, continued to guidelines connected nan sidewalk without making an effort to move. I continued to springiness Zacharia Branch verbal commands to move from blocking nan sidewalk and advised that if he did not, he would person a citation for blocking nan sidewalk.

“Zacharia Branch smirked, past stepped backwards and to nan right, past remained opinionated upon nan nationalist sidewalk, truthful arsenic to obstruct, hinder, and impede free transition upon nan sidewalk arsenic good arsenic impede free ingress/egress to aliases from nan adjacent places of business.

“Due to those actions and Zacharia Branch’s nonaccomplishment to comply pinch aggregate verbal lawful commands, he was placed nether apprehension for misdemeanor Obstruction of LEO and received a citation for Obstructing Public Sidewalks.”

Branch, 22, declared for nan draught 1 twelvemonth aft transferring from USC on pinch his twin, Zion, who plays information for Georgia. Branch was classed arsenic nan nation’s No. 1 wide receiver retired of Las Vegas Bishop Gorman High and considered a landmark recruiting triumph for USC coach Lincoln Riley.

Branch, a expansive nephew of erstwhile Raiders awesome and Hall of Fame receiver Cliff Branch, established himself quickly pinch nan Trojans, returning a kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown successful his debut against San Jose State successful 2023. He besides caught a touchdown walk successful nan crippled while accumulating 232 all-purpose yards.

In a Times story successful 2023, Branch was lauded by teammates “for his ever-present grin and easy-going nature.”

“I conscionable emotion nan power each day, it brings a grin to my face,” USC defender Justin Dedich said astatine nan time. “That’s conscionable 1 of those things. It conscionable shows connected nan field. It correlates, conscionable his affirmative energy, his affirmative cognition and he plays for illustration a beast.”

The timing of nan apprehension isn’t ideal: The NFL draught originates Thursday. The comparatively innocuous quality of nan incident shouldn’t greatly effect Branch’s draught status, according to squad unit executives interviewed by NFL Network.

Cue nan social media jokes astir Branch expanding his draught position because he demonstrated his expertise to artifact .... moreover if it was a sidewalk.

“‘Willing and eager blocker’ ever a bully statement connected a WR’s draught profile,” 1 personification posted.

Others pointed retired that ignoring instructions from a constabulary serviceman astatine 2 a.m. is an denotation of mediocre judgment.

“Zero aforesaid consciousness putting yourself successful this position a fewer days earlier nan draft,” a personification posted.