Branch was born on March 29, 2004, the youngest of two sons to Sheve and Renee Branch.[2] His father is a sports performance coach.[2] Branch and his brother grew up attending USC football games.[2] Branch was raised in Las Vegas and attended Bishop Gorman High School.[3] He was one of the top players in the 2023 college football recruiting class, ranked No. 6 nationally by ESPN and No. 9 by 247Sports. He was the top wide receiver in the class.[4][5]
College career
Branch enrolled at the University of Southern California in early 2023.[6][7] In June 2023, he was recorded on a treadmill sprint at 26 miles per hour, close to Usain Bolt's top speed.[8] Prior to the start of the 2023 season, he was selected by 247Sports as a true freshman preseason All-American.[9] In his college football debut, Branch tallied 232 all-purpose yards, including his first touchdown reception and a 96-yard kickoff return.[10][11] Following his first game, the Los Angeles Times wrote that his "feats had even his opponents in awe",[10] and his speed and ability to change direction drew comparisons to Reggie Bush.[12][13]
