The former Bulldogs wide receiver is facing a pair of misdemeanor charges



Former Georgia wide receiver Zachariah Branch was arrested early Sunday on one charge of obstructing public sidewalks/streets prowling and one charge of obstruction of a law enforcement official, according to the Athens Clarke County Arrest log. Both charges are misdemeanors.

Branch was booked at 1:26 a.m. local time Sunday and released two hours later on bonds totaling $39. Branch was in Athens for the Bulldogs' spring game inside Sanford Stadium. The former five-star transferred from USC to Georgia last offseason and finished with a single-season program record 81 catches for 811 yards and six touchdowns in his only campaign with the Bulldogs.

Branch's brother, Zion, is a safety at Georgia.

Hoping to hear his name in next week's 2026 NFL Draft, Branch posted a 4.35 time in the 40-yard dash at the combine. In a deep class at the position, Branch is expected to be a mid to late-round pick primarily due to his size at 5-foot-9, 177 pounds.

Branch was at his best after the catch between the hedges, where he galloped his way to 636 yards as an All-SEC performer. While his route tree was limited at Georgia, the Bulldogs routinely asked him to make quick receptions at or around the line of scrimmage in the screen or swing game, given his relatively small average depth of targets.

Likely an impactful player from the slot, Branch is not an outside receiver and needs to find the right system to be effective at the next level.

"He meant a lot to learn our system and learn our terminology," Georgia coach Kirby Smart said of Branch during Georgia's Pro Day this spring. "He's a football junkie. There's not a day I'll leave the office that he's not down there catching balls, running routes, doing extra. He loves football, and that's what one of the number one qualities for being a good pro is, is do you love it?"

Branch's career began at USC under Lincoln Riley where he was primarily a special teams threat as a true freshman and gadget player offensively. Branch returned 24 kickoffs for 442 yards and a touchdown and had 16 punt returns for 332 yards and another score. In 2024, Branch recorded 47 receptions for 503 yards before he entered the transfer portal and found a home in the SEC.

Source