NFL Draft prospect Zachariah Branch was arrested less than a week before draft day.
Branch, a former Georgia wide receiver, was arrested early Sunday in Athens, Ga. on misdemeanor charges of obstructing public sidewalks/streets — prowling and obstruction of a law enforcement officer, per ESPN. He was booked and released after paying $39 in bail.
Branch is regarded as a likely Day 2 pick in the draft, though it remains to be seen if his arrest will impact that. He caught 81 passes for 811 yards with six touchdowns for the Bulldogs last season, and further entrenched himself as a top 100 prospect by running a 4.35 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine.
Along with his brother Zion, Zachariah had been a coveted recruit who started his career at USC before transferring to Georgia. Zion is still a safety for the Bulldogs, and Zachariah was at Georgia’s spring game on Saturday prior to his arrest.
This is not the first time a solid draft prospect has been arrested for an off-field indiscretion just before the event. Previous players have not had their draft stock seriously impacted by such situations. Branch will likely be in the same boat as long as the incident was not too serious.
