March 27, 2026, 11:25 a.m. CT<\/p>\n
Here’s another New Orleans Saints<\/a> private workout before the 2026 NFL Draft. Georgia Bulldogs wide receiver Zachariah Branch ran routes and returned punts for Saints coaches, per ESPN’s Field Yates<\/a>. Branch taught punters to shy away from him after a breakout 2023 season with the USC Trojans, having led the nation with 20.8 yards per punt return. He ended his college career with 586 punt return yards on 44 tries (an average of 13.3 yards per return) and 752 kick return yards on 39 tries (19.3). He scored a touchdown as both a punt returner and kick returner.<\/p>\n So it’s easy to see why that alone would put him on the Saints’ radar. But Branch’s moves with the ball in his hands are special. He ranked tenth among 110 qualifying wide receivers in yards gained after the catch per reception, at 7.8. Pro Football Focus charting<\/a> found that he forced 20 missed tackles, too, which ranked 12th. Branch led the SEC with 81 receptions last year, totaling 811 yards and six touchdown catches.<\/p>\n Why isn’t he projected to go in the first round? Branch is seen as a Day 2 pick late in Round 2 or early in Round 3 because of some limitations to his game. He does boast 4.35 speed in the 40-yard dash but he’ll need it to survive at 5-foot-9 and 177 pounds. On top of his subpar size, Branch lined up in the slot on 77.9% of his routes at the college level, and 79.2% of them last year at Georgia. His average depth of target was just 3.6 yards last season. He doesn’t have much experience running NFL routes and getting open further downfield. When working against zone coverage, which he’ll face on three out of every four snaps in the pros, his NFL passer rating ranked 151st among 200 qualifying wideouts, per PFF.<\/p>\n That’s not to say Branch isn’t an intriguing player. He did rank highest in NFL passing rating against man coverage, and you can’t teach speed. There’s just a lot he’ll have to learn about getting open and making plays against pro-quality cornerbacks. He won’t be able to work out of screens over and over again like he did at Georgia (accounting for 38.6% of his yards in 2025) and USC (30.0% in 2024 and 38.1% in 2023). That’s not to say he can’t do those things. But his previous teams not asking him to does say a lot.<\/p>\n