FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — With the No. 79 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Atlanta Falcons selected University of Georgia wide receiver Zachariah Branch.
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Branch had a standout 2025 season for the Georgia Bulldogs, making a name for himself just down the road from the Falcons' team facility. As a junior, Branch showed outstanding run-after-catch ability while scoring six touchdowns. He is considered a true playmaker at the receiver position and should contend for a starting kick return role as a rookie.
The Falcons added a pair of veteran receivers in free agency to a room headlined by Drake London, but it was expected that they could select a wide receiver in the draft. Branch's short-area quickness and propensity to make plays with the ball in his hands should add a new element to Atlanta's offense, allowing him to coexist nicely with London and tight end Kyle Pitts. The Falcons have said they will have a quarterback competition between Michael Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa in training camp, and they've now given both players a new weapon to work with.
Let's take a closer look at what Branch brings to this offense.
Height: 5-foot-9
Weight: 177 pounds
Age: 22
School: University of Georgia
2025 Stats: 10 starts out of 14 games played | 81 catches | 811 receiving yards | 10.0 yards per catch average | 6 touchdowns
Honors: Second Team All-SEC (2025), led the SEC in receptions
Expert Opinions
Dane Brugler, The Athletic: "Branch ran a screen on 25.4 percent of his routes (No. 1 in the FBS; one of just three FBS receivers above 18 percent), and his average depth of target over his career was a paltry 5.2 yards. The manufactured touches allowed him to show his catch-and-burst ability (78 percent of his career receiving yards came after the catch), but he is a smaller target and most of the branches on his route tree lack polish. Overall, Branch has dynamic speed and the linear twitch to threaten the defense before and after the catch, but there is a lot of good-faith projection required to envision him as more than a gadget player. He projects as a versatile slot receiver with return value (in the Rondale Moore mold)."
Daniel Jeremiah, NFL Network: "Branch is a compact slot receiver with outstanding speed and quickness. Most of his targets at Georgia came via quick throws. He catches a lot of screens, slants and quick-outs. He's also very effective on pivot routes because of his elite ability to instantly stop/start. He doesn't have natural hands, though. He likes to use his body, even on balls thrown outside his frame. He will jump and absorb the ball with his chest. He's at his best with the ball in his hands. He's elusive and has dynamic long speed. He's also electric as a kick returner. He was a track champion in high school and it shows on the field. Branch can make big plays out of simple throws, which will make him attractive to NFL offensive coordinators."
Why he fits
Branch's short-area quickness is something to marvel at. His in-game speed has made people miss often, to the tune of 78% of his yards coming after the catch. As the experts say, he's a true slot receiver with over 75% of his career snaps coming from the slot. But he's the type of player who complements a receiver room that doesn't necessarily have his specific and particular skill set.
The Falcons went into the 2026 offseason needing to build up the room around Drake London. They did so, signing Jahan Dotson and Olamide Zaccheaus to the team. Both added take-the-top-off type speed — something of which the Falcons needed. Branch takes the room to another level in that regard. He also has special teams upside. The Falcons need a return man, and Branch has that ability. He'll be able to compete for that job, too, while also providing a new layer of offensive weapon to an already sturdy group.
