Falcons Rookie Zachariah Branch Explains Viral 26-MPH Treadmill Clip

Before he was an NFL Draft selection and college football star, Zachariah Branch wowed social media for his sizzling speed.

While a prep at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas, the Atlanta Falcons rookie wide receiver went viral for running 26 MPH on an overspeed treadmill.

For comparison, Olympic track star Usain Bolt’s peak speed hit 27.78 MPH during the 2009 World Championships.

The video gained much traction while Branch was playing at USC from 2023 until 2024 before transferring to the Georgia Bulldogs in 2025.

However, he clarified on the St. Brown Podcast, hosted by Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown and his brother, Equanimeous, that the video’s timeframe. He was actually an active high school track and field runner for Bishop Gorman.

“Actually, it was 2022, not 2023. I was still in high school,” Branch said. “That’s when I was on track heavy.”

Branch said he ran a 10.3 in the 100-meter dash at Bishop Gorman at the time of the 26-MPH overspeed treadmill video.

An overspeed treadmill is a high-speed machine that often reaches 20-30+ MPH. Athletes use it to exceed their natural sprinting limits. A harness is attached to the user to prevent falls, safely take the load off the user’s joints, and train the nervous system to fire more quickly without breaking stride.

“Basically, it allows your body to get up to that over speed to fill it,” Branch explained. “So, I did hit 26.”

During his NFL Combine training, Branch said he hit speeds of 24.5 MPH on the treadmill. At organized team activities, he reached 22 MPH at the Falcons’ training facility.

Scouts clocked Branch at 4.35 during the NFL Combine’s 40-yard dash this April.

“I hit the goal, but I was trying to go 4.2 or faster,” Branch said. “I was a little upset, but 4.35 [is] not bad.”

At 5-foot-9, 177 pounds, the Falcons’ third-round pick adds more ammunition to the Atlanta offense as an athletic and shifty receiver. The rookie joins star wide receiver Drake London and tight end Kyle Pitts Sr., alongside new signees Jahan Dotson and Olamide Zaccheaus.

Branch has also gotten reps as a return man during Atlanta’s offseason activities, something he thrived at for the USC Trojans and the Georgia Bulldogs.

Branch and fellow Falcons rookies report to Flowery Branch for training camp on July 24, followed by veterans on July 28. Practice begins on July 29, with the first open one being on July 31.

Preseason starts in Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Aug. 14 against the Denver Broncos, and the regular season opens at the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sept. 13.

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