NFL Star Reaches Out After Zachariah Branch’s Big Game

There are multiple USC football families that feel like they’re living a dream, including the Branch family. It’s been a lifelong dream of Zion Branch and Zachariah Branch attend USC and play for the Trojans since they young kids.

On Saturday Zachariah lived out a fantasy he’s likely played out in head more than a hundred times. The canasta of scoring a touchdown for the USC Trojans inside the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. That’s what Branch did, not once, but twice versus Nevada four days ago on August 26.

From his very first spring ball practice with the Trojans, it was obvious that true freshman wide receiver.

Electrifying debut

Branch was going to have a role and make an impact on the USC team this season. The only questions were how quickly he’d make his presence felt and how significant would his impact be. He answered those by upstaging a four-touchdown performance from the reigning Heisman Trophy winner in his very first college game.

The 5-foot-10, 175-pound true freshman was electric for the Trojans on Saturday night. In a 56-28 win against San Jose State, Branch recorded the first offensive touch of the game for the Trojans, led USC in receiving, scored the first touchdown of his college career and became the first USC players since Adoree’ Jackson in 2016 to record a receiving and kickoff return touchdown in the same game. He also became the first USC true freshman to record a kickoff touchdown since Jackson did it in 2014.

Better late than never Odell Beckham

One of Branch’s favorite players is current Cleveland Browns WR Odell Beckham Jr. Beckham at one time was thought to be one off the premier players in the NFL, and rightfully so. He’s one of those athletes we often describe as, “Different.” An exceptional talent for sure.

A few months ago Branch reached out to Beckham Jr. via social media. Beckham didn’t get back to him until last weekend, though. Better late than never and at least we know what it takes to get Beckham’s attention now. Branch mentioned this tidbit after practice when asked if his life changed any since Saturday night.

“I look up to Odell Beckham Jr.. He actually reached out to me. I was like, mind blown about that one. He just said, just keep it up. Keep going. I was like, that’s crazy, you actually responded. Because I had DM’d him before, a couple months ago, like way before. I was like, I don’t think he’s going to respond. But it was actually pretty cool for him to show that love. Shout out Odell, man.”

USC WR Zachariah Branch

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