USC Football: Freshman Trojan Named 2023 All-American
One bright spot in an otherwise ugly 2023 season for the Trojans was the immediate impact of freshman Zachariah Branch.
The Vegas native who contributes as both a receiver and a returner was stellar in his role. Despite missing a game, he was named to the All-Pac-12 First Team as a return specialist, returning one kick and one punt each for a touchdown.
Branch also added two touchdowns as a receiver and one as a runner, highlighting his one-of-a-kind versatility that should be an invaluable asset to the Trojans for the next two seasons.
Caleb Williams is set to enter the NFL Draft, or so we think, and it will be interesting to see who will lead the Trojans moving forward. Though Branch has made himself out to be a Swiss Army Knife of the offensive game, he could benefit from having another QB who can sling it to him downfield.
Expect an expanded role for him going forward, as the departure of leading receiver Brenden Rice should open up more opportunities for Branch. Just in year one, the young receiver has shown what he can do.
He is still currently developing as a player, but we imagine he will be able to test even more of his prowess on the field in 2024, opening the door for his own NFL journey sooner rather than later.
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