Zachariah Branch selected by Atlanta

Zachariah Branch became the ninth Georgia wide receiver selected in the NFL Draft under head coach Kirby Smart.

Branch was drafted No. 79 overall by the Atlanta Falcons in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft.

Despite his recent arrest in downtown Athens early Sunday morning, Branch still heard his name called as many expected heading into Day 2 of the draft.

“I’m a big Zachariah Branch guy, have been all along. Some have thought third, fourth round when I had him in the first, second. He’s going to be great out as a late one, early two for me. He’ll probably end up being a second-round pick,” ESPN’s Mel Kiper told UGASports during a teleconference last week. “He’s a bubble screen sensation. He had the punt kick return for a touchdown at USC as a freshman. He’s got a lot of Zay Flowers (Baltimore Ravens) in him. I see a similar skill set and talent. He’s got a great football IQ, as Zachariah Branch does. But some don’t see it.”

Branch spent only one season in Athens after transferring in from USC. Yet, he couldn’t have made a bigger impact. The former five-star recruit out of Las Vegas, Nevada, set Georgia’s single-season record for receptions (81), while leading the team in receiving with 811 yards and six touchdowns.

Brice Hunter, the previous holder of the reception record, set it back in 1993 as a sophomore with 76 catches.

While Branch certainly impressed with his ability as a playmaker, what stood out most to Smart was how he carried himself out of the spotlight.

“His work ethic,” Smart said back in December during an interview with David Pollack. “Man, you know, when I told him this the other day, I was sitting there talking to him and meeting with him, and I was like, I didn’t know who you were. … Then I met him, and I was like, man, his dad works him hard. His dad’s a trainer. Like, this kid’s been around it. He’s a football junkie. Then he got here, and they were in the building all day, every day. They weren’t like going out, going around. They wanted to be in here around the players.”