ESPN's Field Yates is reporting that the New Orleans Saints held a private workout with Georgia WR Zachariah Branch. Per the report, the workout included "some punt return work" for Branch, who is regarded as one of the top returners in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Branch began his college career at USC before transferring to Georgia in 2025. In his lone season with the Bulldogs, Branch led the SEC with 81 receptions and averaged 12.0 yards per punt return.
Branch (5'9, 177 pounds) profiles as a slot receiver and returner. 79.2% of his routes last season came inside, and his explosive 4.35-second speed helped him finish fourth among all FBS WRs with 634 yards after catch.
Those skills match up well with the Saints' needs. New Orleans has little depth behind Chris Olave after trading Rashid Shaheed last year.
Adding pass-catching depth for second-year QB Tyler Shough is one of the top priorities for the Saints. According to Pro Football Talk, Shough is pushing for the team to also look at his former teammate at Louisville, Chris Bell.
Bell is recovering from a Nov. torn ACL but is still projected to join Branch as a Day Two selection in the upcoming draft.
New Orleans holds the No. 8 pick of the draft. If they pass on WR in the first round, Branch could be on their radar with their pick in the second (No. 42) or third (No. 73) rounds.
Branch is a top-10 rookie WR in our Draft Sharks 2026 Rookie Guide. That puts him firmly in the conversation as a solid target in Round Two of rookie drafts.
We'll see where he lands in the draft, but being selected in the second by a Saints team that looked good down the stretch and has a glaring need would bode well for Branch's short- and long-term dynasty outlook.
You have our personal money-back guarantee: If you’re not happy with our service for any reason, just reach out by December 31, 2026, and we’ll give you 100% of your subscription money back. No strings attached. You can cancel with one-click from your account page anytime.
Search
Redraft
Dynasty
Best Ball
