Kevin Stefanski and Tommy Rees have plenty of offensive weapons at their disposal in Year 1 with the Atlanta Falcons. Things are getting a bit tricky from a financial standpoint to keep all those players in town, so Ian Cunningham needed to land some young, and more importantly, cheap talent.
And that is exactly what Cunningham did in the 2026 NFL Draft with the addition of Georgia wide receiver Zachariah Branch. Cunningham and Matt Ryan made it clear during the pre-draft process how much they valued Kirby Smart's program, and now the former Bulldogs' star is a Falcon.
But with Drake London, Bijan Robinson and Kyle Pitts set to dominate the touches, and free agent additions Jahan Dotson and Olamide Zaccheaus not slouches either, it remained to be seen just how featured Branch would be in Stefanski and Rees' offense.
Early reports from OTAs would indicate that Branch's time may come sooner rather than later.
Zachariah Branch already drawing heavy praise after Day 2 of Atlanta Falcons OTAs
After the second day of OTAs in Atlanta, and the first open to the media, Daniel Flick of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution gave his thoughts on what transpired. Branch's prowess was at the forefront of his mind.
One prevailing thought from today: Zachariah Branch looked excellent," Flick noted. "Had an explosive catch-and-run during an offense vs. defense period, and he’s so fast & sudden. Days like these — shorts, no pads, no contact — generally favor smaller, quicker players, but Branch stood out."
Now, Flick is correct that, without pads and contact, it is impossible to paint a fully-accurate picture. But the first step for young players is standing out in settings like this, and it sounds like Branch accomplished that goal. And Flick wasn't the only one to notice.
Falcons senior reporter Will McFadden echoed Flick's assertion that Branch was a standout, while also noting that Dotson had his moments and the defense looked good overall. All of that bodes incredibly well for Stefanski's group.
As it pertains to Branch, though, Falcons fans should be glad to hear that Branch is making his mark. London, Dotson and Zaccheaus certainly bring great elements to the Atlanta offense, but Branch can be that "just get it to him" guy. A screen-focused wideout to dial up plays with an eye on YAC yardage.
Obviously, the complexion will change for Branch and the rest of the team when the hitting starts and the Georgia product's slender frame is put to the test. But in the meantime, he isn't waiting to make an impact in Atlanta, catching attention on just Day 2 of OTAs.
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