Report: USC’s Zachariah, Zion Branch, enters CFB transfer portal after 2024 season | News, results, highlights, statistics and rumors

According to reports, USC is expected to lose two talented young players who represent a package deal.

According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, brothers Zachariah and Zion Branch are entering the NCAA transfer portal and are expected to travel together to their next destination.

As Thamel noted, Zachariah Branch was a freshman All-American wide receiver in 2023 when he recorded 31 catches for 320 yards and two touchdowns, as well as a rushing touchdown. He was also one of the best returners in the country with 16 punt returns for 332 yards and a touchdown and 24 kickoff returns for 442 yards and another score.

He showed slight improvement this season with 47 catches for 507 yards and a touchdown, although he failed to maintain his role as a returner. He was a 5-star prospect and the No. 1 wide receiver in the Class of 2023 in 247Sports’ roundup, so he should be one of the most sought-after players in the transfer portal this offseason.

This latest departure is another blow to the Trojans’ wide receiver room, as junior Kyron Hudson and sophomore Duce Robinson have also entered the transfer portal. No USC receiver reached the 700-yard mark this season as the team finished with a 6-6 record.

As a safety, Zion Branch was a 4-star prospect and the No. 6 player at his position in the Class of 2023. In his two years with the Trojans, he recorded a total of 41 tackles, three passes defensed, one sack and a forced fumble.