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Jaw-dropping practice reps have skyrocketed early expectations for Falcons rookie

Kevin Stefanski's offense is about to be dynamic.
ByGrayson Freestone|
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Georgia wide receiver Zachariah Branch (1) takes questions from the press during the Sugar Bowl and College Football Playoff quarterfinals Media Day at Sheraton New Orleans Hotel in New Orleans, La., on Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. Players and coaches from Ole Miss and Georgia took questions from the press.
Georgia wide receiver Zachariah Branch (1) takes questions from the press during the Sugar Bowl and College Football Playoff quarterfinals Media Day at Sheraton New Orleans Hotel in New Orleans, La., on Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. Players and coaches from Ole Miss and Georgia took questions from the press. | Ayrton Breckenridge/Clarion Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Some players simply look different with or without pads on, and that is the case for Atlanta Falcons third-round pick Zachariah Branch, who lit up rookie minicamp over the weekend.

Branch, who stays in-state after playing for the Georgia Bulldogs, was seen making moves that few NFL players can make in his first days on an NFL practice field. Here are a couple that will leave you mesmerized:

This dude is about to be special. I'm already convinced the Falcons stumbled upon a star in the making:

Falcons are sitting on an instant-impact rookie in Zachariah Branch

There are many things that can be gleaned from that 13-second highlight tape.

First, he has a quick break on the out-route and then makes A.J. Woods look helpless with one of the quickest jukes you'll ever see. He then caps the rep with a quick stutter on Mike Ford Jr. that shows off more of that quickness.

The second play looks Bijan-esque. He catches the ball and then pulls a quick 180 on poor Ford Jr. to break into the open field. What that reminds me of was Bijan's incredible run on Monday Night Football last season, where he cut back inside behind the line of scrimmage and dipped a helpless Rams defender, turning a dead play into a big gain.

Branch's highlights are also interesting because his career at Georgia was filled with screens and RPOs and very few downfield routes. We know he is quick enough, and those routes he showed looked crisp. He needs to develop a bigger route tree for sure, but early indications are promising.

While some might push back by saying it is only non-padded workouts, these are showings that will transfer to meaningful football. At the very least, Kevin Stefanski has himself a rookie who can make plays on screens and quick routes. It may take extra time for him to develop into a complete receiver.

All told, you can't contain the excitement for what this young stud could do immediately for this offense. The last thing any opposing defense wants to worry about is another home-run threat that can turn a broken play into a long touchdown. And he'll play an important role on special teams.

Just imagine if the 21-year-old can make Bijan-like plays from the receiver position. You marry the two together and you have a terrifying duo. And we haven't even mentioned Kyle Pitts and Drake London, who are top-end talents in their own right.

This might be the fastest 'wow, this was an excellent draft pick' we have ever seen. Oh, and he also has a special personality. So not only is this kid about to make the lives of the quarterbacks easier, this clip proved he has the explosiveness to become what Falcons fans expect.

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