cfb zeitgeistZeitgeist
OFFSEASON · SUMMER 2026 · COMMITMENT SEASON
Heisman / Players / Zachariah Branch /Georgia

Zachariah Branch

WR · Georgia · Jr · #1

Filling the Shoesas of 2026-06-22

Zachariah Branch arrives at Georgia with a new fit to prove and an old chapter behind him.

811REC YDS81REC6REC TD

5★ · NATIONAL RECRUIT

No.5

recruiting national rank

Read the story so far

Zachariah Branch arrived as a 5-star prospect, the No.5 recruit nationally. He lines up at WR for Georgia.

On the field, the headline is 811 rec yds, with 81 rec.

He inherited the WR job from Dominic Lovett.

The number to watch: No.5 — 5★ · national recruit.

WR successioncontinuity
  • Inherited fromDominic Lovett
Why nowHe changed programs heading into 2026 — a fresh fit to prove out.
  • season totals
  • recruiting national rank
  • throne-line + Filling-the-Shoes

AI narrative · updated 2026-06-22 · compiled from CFB Zeitgeist data

2026 NFL DRAFTDrafted by Atlanta — Rd 3, Pick 15, #79 overall

Where He Ended Up · NFL

Atlanta2026 NFL rookie season

#79Rd 3 · Pick 15
Atlanta2026 NFL rookie season

WR · GEORGIA · SEC

Zachariah Branch

  • 3
  • #1
  • 5-10 | 180 lb
  • Las Vegas, NV

CFB Zeitgeist Score

65

Solid starter in the position cohort. Carried by rec yards at the 89th percentile.

Heisman Heat

#585

<1% win probability

Fan Belief

Awaiting

Player-specific FI not yet ingested. Falls back to team mood below.

Respect Gap

Awaiting

Coming online with player-level FI.

Reality Gap

Awaiting

Coming online with player-level FI.

ACCOLADE PROBABILITY

Heisman

<1%

TOP WR AWARD

Biletnikoff

CONSENSUS

All-American

Player Standing · 17 rungs

Tier 2 · Starter

R07 · Impact starter

Impact starter. Producing measurable value above replacement.

Not on team2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex

Career arc · Season-by-season Standing

3 seasons on the ladder

Peak: R12 All-American · 2023

2023

USC · WR

R12 · All-American

Elite

2024

USC · WR

R09 · All-Conference HM / 2nd team

Recognized

2025

Georgia · WR

R09 · All-Conference HM / 2nd team

Recognized

NFL Draft 2026 · Rd 3, Pick 15 · #79 overall · Atlanta

Development Trajectory · receiving yards

2023–2025
3202023
5032024
8112025

+153%

Up 153% from first season to most-recent.

Career Arc

HS
Recruit
★★★★
#58 national
CFB
College
2 teams
2023–2025
NFL
NFL Draft
R3 &middot; #79
Atlanta &middot; 2026

Identity & Role

The durable bio layer: position, size, hometown, and roster role.

PositionWR
Class3
Jersey1
Measurements5-10 | 180 lb
HometownLas Vegas, NV
Primary teamGeorgia

Recruiting Pedigree

How big the prospect was before college, and whether the later career arc beat that expectation.

Top pedigree 5-star No. 5 recruit
Composite rating 0.9961 HighSchool
Signed with USC 2023
Origin Bishop Gorman Las Vegas, NV, USA
Class Profile Context
2023 5-star | 0.9961 No. 5 recruit | HighSchool | USC
2022 4-star | 0.9758 No. 58 recruit | HighSchool | USC

Transfer Arc

Portal movement changes role, context, and perception. This keeps that path in one place.

Portal moves 1 Programs changed on file
Latest destination Georgia 2025
Transfer stars 4-star CFBD transfer rating context
Eligibility Immediate Jan 5, 2025
Season Move Context
2025 USC -> Georgia 4-star | 0.9500 | Immediate

Heisman Lens · 2024 Season · Final

Where the player landed at the end of the listed season — final nowcast rank, win/finalist/ballot probabilities, and the cleanest official Heisman placement on file.

HIGH CONFIDENCE· through week 16
Current nowcast#585Latest modeled ballot order
Season forecast#606Where the full season sim points
Win probability0.0%Chance to actually win the trophy
Finalist probability0.0%Chance to make the finalist tier
Ballot probability0.0%Chance to appear anywhere on a ballot
Best official finish--Best completed Heisman placement on file

Heisman Futures

Not yet listed on major futures markets.

Achievements

  • Program Benchmark 5.5% Program Benchmark Season leader for the program at the player's position across the headline volume metric (passing yards / rushing yards / receiving yards). Held by 5.5% of the 2025 pool. Team leader in receiving yards (811).

Selector Grid · 2025

AP
FWAA
AFCA
WCFF
SN
SI

NIL · Recruiting · NFL Draft

Market value, pedigree & pro outcome

Recruit stars

★★★★★

to USC

Composite

0.9961

#5 national

NFL Draft

2026 · Rd 3, Pick 15

#79 overall · Atlanta

Today’s Hot-Take

The Hot-Take engine fires when this player’s percentile profile crosses a defensible threshold (top 10% in a cohort, 100+ snap sample). When it’s quiet, the model is honoring its “must be defensible” rule.

Anti-Take

PENDING

The contrarian read fires when the rules-engine detects a stat that complicates the Hot-Take. Quiet here means the model hasn’t found a defensible counter yet — not that one doesn’t exist.

The Room on Zachariah Branch

Fan sentiment · Season 2025 conversation window

Belief Meter

56

Quietly Bullish

Sample 24 mentions
Confidence MEDIUM

Top Take

Trajectory

Cohort divergence mapbearishbullishheatedcalmOwn fans: 25 mentions · belief -44 · "Zachariah Branch reveals bizarre reason he left USC for Georgia: according to Br"Own fansRivals: 4 mentions · belief -50 · "Zachariah Branch reveals bizarre reason he left USC for Georgia: according to Br"RivalsNational: 10 mentions · belief -15 · "[Alabama](https://www.reddit.com/r/CFB/comments/1te2gve/comment/olztzpz/) [Alas"National
  • Own fans · n=25
  • Rivals · n=4
  • National · n=10

Rival Radar

How rival fanbases talk about Zachariah Branch

Obsession score 3
Rival mentions 4
Weeks on radar 2
Peak moment Week 0 · 2 mentions
Grudging respect 0% Neutral 50% Mockery 50%

2025 Signature · 2025 season

Receiving yards (total)

811

yds

All FBS WRs, min 20 receptions

National rank #61 of 531
Percentile vs All FBS WRs, min 20 receptions 89th

Why it matters

#61 of 531 All FBS WRs in receiving yards — 811 yards on 81 receptions.

Vs cohort

This player 811 (89th)

HIGH · n=81 cohort 531

  • Also strong
  • Receiving TDs#55 / 531
  • Yards per reception#419 / 531

Signature Moment

Week 10 at Florida — 112 receiving_yards_total

Result W 24-20

The week the volume broke through — put up 112 yds at Florida.

A 3-act season arc returns once this player has six or more games on the ledger.

Season Pace · Projection

Where the receiving totals stand

final
Through 14g
811Rec yards
81Receptions
6Rec TDs
Per game
57.9Rec yards
6Receptions
0Rec TDs
Final
811Rec yards
81Receptions
6Rec TDs

✓ Hit 700-yard receiver · finished with 811.

✓ Hit 60-catch season · finished with 81.

✓ Hit 80-catch season · finished with 81.

Why the honors trail matters

The fast read on the thing that makes this player more than a generic stat line.

The useful clue on this card is not just the Heisman rank, but the broader honors spine. Zachariah Branch already has 6 loaded recognition items, which helps distinguish a player who is merely productive from one who is already earning selector-level validation.

Current place #585 0.0% win | 0.0% finalist
Role load 9.9% Overall usage share
Profile quirk Blue-chip pedigree No. 5 recruit

2025 Season · Final

Traditional stats first. Advanced context underneath.

Last season

WR season snapshot

2025 season snapshot | final

2025 season snapshot | finalData: CFBD player stats + local Heisman modelPeer context: same position + same level
Receptions 81 6 rec TD | #10/1110 (99th pct)
Receiving yards 811 10.0 per catch | #64/1107 (94th pct)
Scrimmage yards 818 Total offensive yardage | #64/1107 (94th pct)
Player identity What kind of player is this?

30-second read

What kind of player is this?

Target magnet | All-purpose weapon against FBS receiving peers.

Target magnetAll-purpose weapon

2025 Season · Final

2025 season snapshot | final

Receiving

REC
81 99th
YDS
811 94th
YPR
10.0 33rd
TD
6 95th

Rushing

CAR
4 74th
YDS
7 42nd
YPC
1.8 24th
TD
0 81st

Returns

KR YDS
205 76th
KR AVG
20.5 59th
PR YDS
180 90th
PR AVG
12.0 78th

Game Log · Week-by-week

2025 season · 14 games

Box score · CFBD
WkOppRECYDSAVGTDLONGNote
Wk 1W 45-7vs Marshall39531.7147
Wk 2W 28-6vs Austin Peay3175.7017
Wk 3W 44-41@ Tennessee56913.8136
Wk 5L 21-24vs Alabama33511.7022
Wk 6W 35-14vs Kentucky4184.508
Wk 7W 20-10@ Auburn9576.3013
Wk 8W 43-35vs Ole Miss8718.9026
Wk 10W 24-20@ Florida1011211.2042Season-high 112 yds
Wk 11W 41-21@ Mississippi State8688.5119
Wk 12W 35-10vs Texas6416.8030
Wk 13W 35-3vs Charlotte45513.8019
Wk 14W 16-9@ Georgia Tech55310.6124
Wk 15W 28-7@ Alabama55310.6117
BowlL 34-39vs Ole Miss8678.4118
Total8181110.9647
Season-by-season tables Career rows + per-season box score

Traditional history

Traditional Stats

Season rows up top, career context at the bottom.

Season rows Career row

Season context · Team result + system

2023USC8-5HC: Lincoln Riley · Pass-leaning, slow tempo
2024USC7-6HC: Lincoln Riley · Pass-leaning
2025Georgia12-2HC: Kirby Smart · Run-leaning
SeasonTeam
2025Georgia8181110.06--
2024USC4750310.71--
2023USC3132010.32--
Career3 loaded seasons1591,63410.39--
SeasonTeam
2025Georgia47205180--
2024USC21710574--
2023USC9704483321
Career3 loaded seasons15947585861
Advanced layer Usage, value, and context

Advanced metrics second

Advanced Metrics

Usage, value, and opponent-adjusted context.

Usage Value Context
Pass share

The player's share of a team's passing-game involvement. It is the fastest way to see whether the receiver is a true focal point or more of a complementary piece.

Role share

A blended workload view that accounts for catches, designed touches, and any return-game involvement that shapes the overall profile.

Peer percentile

Every percentile is compared against players at the same position and level, so an FBS quarterback is judged against FBS quarterbacks, not the whole sport.

Traditional first

The top tables stick to the stats fans already know from broadcasts and box scores. Advanced context is pushed underneath instead of replacing the basics.

Usage 9.9% 22.1% pass-game share | #58/1137 (95th pct)
Return yards 385 0 return TD | #58/238 (76th pct)
Touchdowns 6 Across offense and returns | #56/1111 (95th pct)
Open full stat explorer
0 metrics visible Showing all metrics
Group Metric Value Rank Pct Why it matters
Receiving Receptions 81 #10/1110 99th pct Volumevs FBS WR
Receiving Receiving yards 811 #64/1107 94th pct Volumevs FBS WR
Receiving Receiving TD 6 #56/1111 95th pct Scoringvs FBS WR
Receiving Yards / catch 10.0 #746/1106 33rd pct Efficiencyvs FBS WR
Returns Kick return yards 205 #58/238 76th pct Volumevs FBS WR
Returns Punt return yards 180 #24/224 90th pct Volumevs FBS WR
Usage Pass share 22.1% #58/1137 95th pct Air-game usagevs FBS WR
Rushing Rushing LONG 10 #173/346 50th pct Metricvs FBS WR
Rushing Rushing yards 7 #233/397 42nd pct Volumevs FBS WR
Rushing Carries 4 #108/407 74th pct Volumevs FBS WR
Rushing Yards / carry 1.8 #299/393 24th pct Efficiencyvs FBS WR
Rushing Rush TD 0 #81/411 81st pct Scoringvs FBS WR
Receiving Receiving LONG 47 #316/1105 71st pct Metricvs FBS WR
Returns Kick return avg 20.5 #98/236 59th pct Efficiencyvs FBS WR
Returns Punt returns 15 #39/237 84th pct Volumevs FBS WR
Returns Punt return avg 12.0 #49/222 78th pct Efficiencyvs FBS WR
Returns Kick returns 10 #54/243 78th pct Volumevs FBS WR
Usage 3rd-down usage 15.4% #39/1137 97th pct Money-down loadvs FBS WR
Usage Passing-down usage 14.5% #57/1137 95th pct Known-passing sharevs FBS WR
Usage Role share 9.9% #103/1137 91st pct Share of team offensevs FBS WR
Usage 1st-down usage 9.3% #118/1137 90th pct Early-down loadvs FBS WR
Usage 2nd-down usage 8.0% #228/1137 80th pct Middle-down loadvs FBS WR
Usage Standard-down usage 8.0% #148/1137 87th pct Base-situation sharevs FBS WR
Usage Rush share 0.7% #239/1137 79th pct Ground-game usagevs FBS WR

Player Standing

Universal 17-step ladder. Tier pills below; accolade streams nested.

ALL-CONF HM

On-team2-deepStartingRecognizedEliteApex

ALL-CONF HM · Rung 9 of 16

Why he’s here

All-Conference honorable mention / 2nd team — the recognition has started.

What moves him up

A best-at-position run lifts to 1st team.

What moves him down

A back-end conference finish drops out of the honor list.

Accolade streams

StatusAwaiting tracker

Heisman model tracks the top FBS contenders weekly; this player hasn't entered the watch list yet.

Splits · Per-game

2025 season · 14 games

Home/Road · Win/Loss · Season halves

Home vs Road

REC/gYDS/gYPRTD/g
Home8g4.949.911.40.2
Road6g7.068.710.20.7

Win vs Loss

REC/gYDS/gYPRTD/g
Wins12g5.859.111.00.4
Losses2g5.551.010.10.5

First half vs Second half

REC/gYDS/gYPRTD/g
Weeks 1-77g5.051.111.70.4
Weeks 8+7g6.664.710.10.4

Pocket and defense-quality (clean vs. pressure) splits are coming soon.

Savant · Box-rate percentiles

Where this profile ranks vs the WR cohort

65Solid starter
7 metrics · season cumulative

Elite: receptions (98th). Strength: rec yards (88th). Concern: yards / catch (16th).

Receptions#10 / 558 · 98th pct
81rece
Rec yards#64 / 558 · 89th pct
811rece
Rec TDs#56 / 558 · 87th pct
6rece
Long catch#277 / 558 · 50th pct
47rece
Rush TDs#67 / 287 · 39th pct
0rush
Rush yards#176 / 287 · 38th pct
7rush
Yards / catch#462 / 558 · 17th pct
10.0rece

Percentiles versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score rates.

Advanced Savant · WR · 2024

Percentile Card

Advanced opponent-adjusted percentile bars are coming soon for this player.

P4G5All FBS
EPA / dropback
awaiting
CPOE
awaiting
Success rate
awaiting
Explosive rate (20+)
awaiting
aDOT
awaiting
Deep-ball accuracy
awaiting
Pressure-to-sack
awaiting
3rd-down EPA
awaiting
Red-zone TD rate
awaiting
Play-action EPA
awaiting
Scramble EPA
awaiting
Turnover-worthy play rate
awaiting

Advanced Savant

Opponent-adjusted advanced metrics with a cohort filter.

Advanced opponent-adjusted metrics are coming soon for this player. Selected cohort: P4.

Peer Comparator · Fingerprint match

Three closest profiles by box-rate percentile

3 peers · 7 metrics
Zachariah BranchGeorgiaPofele AshlockHawai'i· 95% simDevin MccuinUTSA· 92% simDonovan FaupelNew Mexico State· 90% sim
Receptions
98
Branch
98
Ashlock
93
Mccuin
90
Faupel
Rec yards
89
Branch
89
Ashlock
84
Mccuin
79
Faupel
Rec TDs
87
Branch
95
Ashlock
95
Mccuin
92
Faupel
Long catch
50
Branch
50
Ashlock
60
Mccuin
65
Faupel
Rush TDs
39
Branch
39
Mccuin
Rush yards
38
Branch
47
Mccuin
Yards / catch
17
Branch
25
Ashlock
30
Mccuin
24
Faupel

Closest peers by overall box-score percentile profile at the same position.

Player DNA

The Slot Technician

Runs precise routes in tight quarters. Volume player who keeps chains moving.

WR

His 2025 production profile sits closest to Ryan O'Keefe’s 2021 season.

Ryan O'Keefe

82%match

UCF · 2021

#2

Khaleb Hood

Georgia Southern · 2023

All-Sun Belt
82%
#3

Robert Lewis

Georgia State · 2023

All-Sun Belt
78%
#4

Khaleb Hood

Georgia Southern · 2022

All-Sun Belt
76%
#5

Nikko Remigio

Fresno State · 2022

All-Mountain West
75%

Matches Ryan on

Total EPA (college ability)
EPA / play (adj)
Class year

Through 3 college seasons, his career arc tracks closest to Derick Eugene’s path through Long Island University.

Derick Eugene

99%match

Long Island University · 2021

#2

Elijah Steward

Lafayette · 2025

99%
#3

Sean Atkins

South Florida · 2024

All-AAC
96%
#4

Winston Wright

East Carolina · 2024

95%
#5

Ryan O'Keefe

Boston College · 2023

All-AAC
95%

Matches Derick on

Yards per reception

As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Isaiah Williams's junior season at Illinois (2022).

Isaiah Williams

82%match

Illinois · 2022

All-Big Ten
#2

Ryan O'Keefe

UCF · 2022

All-AAC
79%
#3

Khaleb Hood

Georgia Southern · 2022

All-Sun Belt
77%
#4

Dominic Lovett

Georgia · 2023

NFL Rd 7
71%
#5

Anthony Evans III

Mississippi State · 2025

71%

Matches Isaiah on

TD rate
Weight
Total EPA (college ability)

Differs from Isaiah on

Recruiting rating (higher)

Supporting Cast · Scheme

Staff and system around the player

2025 season

Head Coach

Kirby Smart

Pass share

42.5%

417 pass / 565 run

Plays / game

70.1

14 games

OL sack rate (allowed)

6.2%

290 dropbacks · PBP

Scheme: Run-leaning.

Coaching Lineage · 2023–2025

1 coach
2023
Kirby Smart
Georgia
2024
Kirby Smart
Georgia
2025
Kirby Smart
Georgia

Played his entire career under Kirby Smart.

Bio · Recruiting · Transfer · Roster

Off-field context — switch tabs to drill into recruit profile, transfer arc, or roster timeline.

HometownLas Vegas, NV
Height5'10"
Weight180 lb
Class3
PositionWR
Jersey1

Trophy Case · Confirmed honors

What the selectors said

6 entries
🥇

ALL-AMERICA

Named All-American (2023)

4 selectors honored him

🎖

ALL-CONFERENCE

All-Conf mention (2025)

All-SEC

Trophy Case · Detail

Every honor on the ledger, broken out by stream and selector.

All-America

4 All-America selections

National selector recognition is one of the strongest non-Heisman signals on a player card and should sit near the top of the showcase.

All-Conference

2 all-conference honors

Conference-level recognition helps anchor whether a player is merely statistically loud or actually viewed as elite within his competitive lane.

Honors Timeline

Season-end distinction and week-by-week recognition on one timeline.

Season Honor Scope Team / Selector Context
2025 All-SEC all_conference Georgia | SEC WR
2024 All-Big Ten all_conference Big Ten OTHE
2023 All-America (USA Today) all_america USC | USA Today first | AP-RET
2023 All-America (ESPN) all_america USC | ESPN first | AP-RET
2023 All-America (Athlon) all_america USC | Athlon first | AP-RET
2023 All-America (SN) all_america USC | SN first | AP-RET

Heisman By Year

Modeled rank and official finish by season.

Season Team Role Latest Model Forecast Win Finalist Official Finish Points Context
2024 USC WR3 #585 #606 0.0% 0.0% -- -- W16 snapshot | Big Ten
2023 USC WR3 #494 #573 0.0% 0.0% -- -- W19 snapshot | Pac-12

Roster Timeline

Team, conference, and class by season.

Season Team Conference Pos Class Bio
2025 Georgia SEC WR 3 No. 1 | 5-10 | 180 lb | Las Vegas, NV
2024 USC Big Ten WR 3 No. 1 | 5-10 | 180 lb | Las Vegas, NV
2023 USC Pac-12 WR 3 No. 1 | 5-10 | 180 lb | Las Vegas, NV