Zachariah Branch, nation's second-ranked receiver in 2023, cuts down list

Zachariah Branch is one of the most explosive, dynamic receivers in the nation. Branch, a 5-foot-9, 175-pound Las Vegas Bishop Gorman standout, is on the cusp of reaching five-star territory as the nation’s No. 14 overall player and No. 2 receiver in the Class of 2023.

And he now has a better idea of where he wants to take that impressive skill set and profile to college.

Branch announced Friday night that he is down to a top 12 of Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas A&M, USC and Washington in a loaded group of finalists.

He broke down a handful of those programs with On3 prior to releasing that list.

Why Branch included Ohio State, USC

Ohio State and USC have been two of the leaders for Zachariah Branch for a while now. The biggest reason the Buckeyes made the list is simple – they employ arguably the best receivers coach in the nation in Brian Hartline, who has done a great job of crafting a relationship with the young receiver.

“Me and ‘Coach Hart’ talk weekly. We’ve been building a relationship, really getting to know each other,” Branch said. “With our conversations, we don’t always have to talk about, ‘How’s football going?’ We talk about each other’s family and other things outside of football. They are very genuine over there, and they have a great program. That’s why they can develop me as a player and as a person in general.”

As for the Trojans, the USC campus is only about a three-hour drive for Branch. He already has visited to build relationships with the staff and build comfort with the campus. And receivers coach Keary Colbert has made strong inroads with Branch, as well.

“I’ve been up there many times throughout my childhood,” Branch said. “Just getting up there these last few months has been pretty good. I’ve been building a connection with these coaches. ‘Coach K.C.’ and I have a good relationship. We can talk about anything, too. Whether it’s football, school, family, whatever, it doesn’t matter. So I’m just real comfortable with them. I feel like I’m just making myself at home there as well.”

Alabama, Notre Dame, other powers crack list

Branch has no shortage of college football powers on his list in addition to the Buckeyes and Trojans. A few of the ones he has on his list include Alabama, a recruiting effort led by Crimson Tide receivers coach Holmon Wiggins.

“Coach Holmon and I have been building a good relationship since my freshman year just throughout my brother’s recruiting process. So that’s been pretty cool,” Branch said. “And with LSU, they’re a powerhouse. I’ve just been building a relationship with a few of the coaches on the staff. It’s been great getting to know them throughout this process, and I’m loving it.”

The Sooners and Fighting Irish are also on the list, and Branch will be considering each the rest of his recruitment.

“Oklahoma, I’ve always been high on them,” Branch said. “Just getting out there, I like that atmosphere when I went out there to visit with my brother. Their coaches, I love their energy. They’re very genuine as well.

“Notre Dame, they have great coaches, great players, great academics. I mean, academics play a big role. Notre Dame would be a perfect program for that as well.”

Zachariah Branch visit plans, decision timeline

As discussed previously at On3, Branch’s older brother is also one of the most sought-after recruits in America. Zion Branch – a four-star Class of 2022 safety – has been down to Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State, Oklahoma and USC since July. There are plans for both Branches to visit some of those five schools this fall.

That starts with the weekend of Oct. 30, when they are going to visit for the Ohio State-Penn State game. Those tickets are officially booked. They had planned to visit for this weekend’s Notre Dame-USC game in South Bend, but they will not be able to go anymore. They still plan to visit USC in November, and they are officially booked for a visit to Tuscaloosa for the Alabama-LSU game on Nov. 6.

The two will likely make most visits together the rest of this fall, but the younger Branch re-emphasized that his brother’s recruitment will ultimately not affect his own.

Zachariah Branch said that he hopes to make a decision sometime in the winter, perhaps January or February after his brother has made his own commitment. Zachariah’s latest commitment date, as of now, would be on his birthday, on March 29.