USC gains commitment from 5-star 2023 wideout Zachariah Branch
The 5-stars keep rolling in for Lincoln Riley.
Zachariah Branch, a 5-star wideout in the Class of 2023, committed to USC Friday afternoon on CBS Sports HQ. The Bishop Gorman (Nev.) High School star is picking the Trojans just one week after his brother, 4-star safety Zion Branch, signed with the program.
hey i’m a trojan …. @Hayesfawcett3 pic.twitter.com/nU9TwbGc1f
— Zachariah Branch (@zachariahb03) December 24, 2021
The 5-foot-9, 175-pounder caught 48 passes for 1,094 yards and 14 touchdowns as a junior this fall. He picked USC over Oklahoma, Alabama, and Ohio State.
“I feel like USC was always home for me and I feel more than comfortable with my decision,” Branch told 247Sports. “I definitely see things there are about to change. The culture, the energy, the vibe is different and you can feel it being around the staff, the new coaches and the players. You can just tell a different switch has turned on.”
Branch is the third 5-star commitment for USC’s class next cycle, joining quarterback Malachi Nelson and receiver Makai Lemon, who both play at Los Alamitos (Calif.). He’s also the fifth 5-star prospect to sign with or commit to USC since Lincoln Riley was hired a month ago. The Trojans landed running back Raleek Brown and corner Domani Jackson for the 2022 class earlier this month after landing only two 5-stars total over the previous three cycles.
“I am super excited to start building this class,” Branch told 247Sports. “We are trying to build a national championship class. We want to compete with the best in the country and I believe we are going to do just that. We are pushing to be the No. 1 recruiting class in the class of 2023 and I have an idea on who to add to it, so stay tuned.”
You can view Branch’s highlight tape below, via Hudl: