The Las Vegas Raiders have traded away their No. 1 wideout in each of the last two seasons, leaving them with a chasm in the pass-catching department between Brock Bowers and everyone else. With Fernando Mendoza expected to take the reins in Las Vegas come April, he'll need a bit more help.
Selecting a wide receiver too early in the 2026 NFL Draft may be seen as malpractice, considering how many holes the Raiders have on the roster. But a stud like Georgia's Zachariah Branch, a Las Vegas native, could be an instant impact player, and his value may be just right on Day 2.
Georgia WR Zachariah Branch 2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report
Notes:
Height: 5095
Weight: 180
Expected 40 Yard Dash Time: 4.32-4.35
Recruiting: No. 7 overall prospect in 2023 recruiting class. No. 1 ranked wide receiver.
College Production: 159 catches, 1,634 receiving yards, 9 receiving touchdowns, 15 rushing attempts, 94 rushing yards, 1 rushing touchdown, 1,338 return yards and 2 return touchdowns in 37 games at USC and Georgia.
Positives:
- Lightning speed makes opposing coaches change their game plans. Has great quickness and get-off ability, which allows him to rip the top off the defense and make home run plays.
- YAC ability is the best in the class, as he blends speed, quickness, vision, instincts and contact balance to wreak havoc in the open field and churn out every yard possible.
- Patience allows him to thrive in the return game. All-American and Jet Award winner as a freshman at USC, recording over 1,300 yards and 2 return touchdowns, providing instant value.
- Great hands for a speedster (only 8 drops on 211 targets, 3.7%) and makes catches at every depth of the field. Strong hands and good body control allow him to make catches in traffic.
- Displays great versatility, lining up primarily in the slot, but also extensively out wide. Can take a handful of snaps inline and in the backfield like a running back as well.
- Comes from NFL bloodline and loves football. Nephew of former Raider and NFL Hall of Fame WR Cliff Branch. College coach, Kirby Smart, marvels at his competitiveness and buy-in.
Branch has all the requisite tools to be a successful slot wide receiver in the NFL. He should be a star special teamer early in his career, but he could blossom into a game-changing wideout if utilized properly. He is electric in the open field and has big play ability that every offense covets. Branch is a major matchup problem for linebackers or less athletic defensive backs in the slot.
Negatives:
- Undersized and has a slight frame, which may give him trouble against bigger corners in press coverage. Catch radius is limited.
- Durability is a concern because of his body type. Minor injury history, as he missed a portion of the spring upon his arrival at Georgia.
- Route tree needs a bit more polish, as he's been able to rely solely on athleticism and speed in college. Has improved, but will need to take another step.
- Blocking effort is not an issue, but his strength and technique prevent him from being fully effective. Could limit his ability to play every down.
Branch's lack of size hasn't really held him back yet, but the NFL is a different monster. Lining him up in the slot could help him avoid matchups with bigger corners or safeties, and he is so fast that most defensive backs won't get too close to the line of scrimmage with him anyway. But another technical step will be needed for Branch to go from good to great at the next level.
Zachariah Branch NFL Player Comparison: Zay Flowers/Mecole Hardman
Flowers, Hardman and Branch all have top-end speed that have allowed them to have success, despite having smaller builds. Branch has a lot of the same tendencies as these two players in terms of their ability to make people miss in the open field, and he has both Flowers' three-level catching ability and Hardman's prowess in the return game.
On the very high end of things, Branch could be a Tyreek Hill-type player, based on his burning speed and the chaos that he creates in the open field. On the low end, he could be a Rondale Moore-type blazer in the slot who struggles to get separation against physicality. Branch also has some shades of Marvin Mims in his game.
Zachariah Branch NFL Draft Grade: Top-50 selection
No consensus has been reached on Branch's draft stock, as some have him graded as high as a first-round prospect, and others think he'll fall to the beginning of Day 3. Slot receivers, in terms of value, are hard to pin down. But a player with his skillset and speed is unlikely to get past every NFL team twice, so he'll likely hear his name called sometime early on Day 2.