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Georgia wide receiver Zachariah Branch trying to make a play during an NFL Combine drill.
With just two weeks left until the NFL draft, the Buffalo Bills are definitely a team to keep an eye on throughout the entire process.
Buffalo has the No. 26 pick in the first round, and it could go in several different directions with it—possibly adding a wide receiver or addressing another position. There’s a strong likelihood that the Bills will focus on defense with their first-round selection, while they might look for a wide receiver in the later rounds.
The Bills don’t hold a second-round pick since they traded it to the Chicago Bears for wide receiver DJ Moore, but they could be looking to add a receiver with their third-round pick.
Bills Urged to Avoid Zachariah Branch
If the Bills are looking to draft a receiver in the third round, they should be cautious about targeting a player who relies too much on speed. Fansided’s Iestyn Harris advises the Bills to avoid drafting Georgia wide receiver Zachariah Branch.
“The Buffalo Bills have several WRs on their ‘get list’, but Georgia WR Zachariah Branch isn’t amongst them. No shame to the twitchy gadget man, but he simply doesn’t fill the build for a player to succeed in Joe Brady’s offense,” Harris wrote on Monday. “Branch offers speed and mobility beyond belief – he’s a YAC threat who excels on scripted touches and special teams plays. He’s also small, with a limited reach. His frame likely confines him to the slot as a pro, which isn’t an area the Bills need talent right now.
“The Bills do need more receivers – both for the cheap talent in an expensive unit and for on-field value. Unfortunately, the Bills need talent on top of their group. Special teams value and gadget play aren’t needed traits when atop the heap. Players without the proper build to compete physically don’t fit Joe Brady’s offense, or the current iteration of the Bills. Unfortunately, that’s Zachariah Branch.”
Branch spent three seasons playing college football, starting with his first two years at USC before transferring to play for the Bulldogs. Over the course of 37 games, Branch recorded 1,634 receiving yards and nine touchdowns. However, he broke out last season, notching 81 receptions for 811 yards and six scores.
Branch Has a Big Issue in His Game
The standout quality that sets Branch apart from other receivers in this class is his blazing speed. At the NFL scouting combine, Branch clocked an impressive 4.35 seconds in the 40-yard dash, tying for the sixth-fastest time among all rookie receivers at the event.
One potential concern for teams considering adding Branch is that, despite his 81 receptions last season, he didn’t demonstrate much depth in his route-running.
According to Pro Football Focus, Branch had 49 receptions behind the line of scrimmage and 18 from zero to nine yards. It’s easier to get players involved with the ball from behind the line of scrimmage in college, but the NFL is a lot harder for that to work.
The Bills should steer clear of him, as they have no way of knowing whether he can become an effective route runner who stretches the field and diversifies the offense.
Danny Fisher Is a football journalist covering the Buffalo Bills for Heavy.com. He has covered the NFL for Gridiron Heroics, focusing on the AFC and Penn State football for Nittany Central. More about Danny Fisher
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