USC’s Zachariah Branch Nominated for Allstate AFCA Good Works Team

Football | July 17, 2024

LOS ANGELES—Sophomore wide receiver and First Team All-American Zachariah Branch has been named as a nominee for the 2024 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team. Nominees are selected based on their performance on the field, in the classroom and in their community. 
 
Zachariah and his brother Zion (who is a redshirt sophomore safety on the USC football team) created the “Branch Out Foundation” in 2023. The foundation is “dedicated to the support of youth initiatives including homelessness, after-school programs, health and wellness as well as other charitable causes.” The foundation focuses on assisting the communities of Los Angeles and Las Vegas, where the Branch family is from.
 
Throughout his short time at USC, Branch has made it a priority to launch himself into various philanthropic activities. 
 
He has worked with Midnight Mission, a Los Angeles organization focused on providing “the necessities of life to offer a bridge to self-sufficiency for people experiencing homelessness through food, shelter, clothing, personal hygiene needs, medical care, recovery services, counseling, education, training, workforce development and continued care services.” Branch volunteered with the charity feeding the homeless and providing meals. 
 
He has volunteered at the Challengers and Wilmington Boys and Girls Clubs in Los Angeles. Branch also participated in a shoe drive at John W. Mack Elementary School with the goal of providing underprivileged students with the proper shoes to feel comfortable and confident when stepping on campus. 
 
Last year, Branch was named a Walter Camp All-American (the only true freshman on the First or Second Team), and traveled to New Haven, Conn., where he was an ambassador for the Walter Camp Football Foundation and the featured player speaker at the New Haven Boys and Girls Club and two local elementary schools.
 
Branch had a stellar debut season as a true freshman in 2023. He is USC’s first-ever true freshman First Team All-American, after being named a USA Today First Team All-American as a returner, a PFF First Team All-American as a return specialist and a Sporting News First Team All-American as a punt returner. Branch was also named to the Walter Camp All-American Second Team and the FWAA All-American Second Team as a kick…