NFL Prospect Zachariah Branch Arrested For Standing On The Sidewalk

Former Georgia Bulldog and NFL hopeful Zachariah Branch’s ride to the 2026 NFL Draft just hit a bump.

Just a few days out from the April 23 festivities, Branch was arrested early Sunday morning in Athens, Georgia, on two possible misdemeanor charges of obstructing public sidewalks/streets – prowling and obstruction of a law enforcement officer.

NFL Network has obtained the police report, which says that Branch was taken into custody after not moving far enough away after he was instructed to by a police officer.

“A male, later identified as Zacharia Branch, continued to stand on the sidewalk without making an attempt to move. I continued to give Zacharia Branch verbal commands to move from blocking the sidewalk and advised that if he did not, he would receive a citation for blocking the sidewalk,” reads the cop’s account. 

Instead of moving, he adds that, “Branch smirked, then stepped backward and to the right, then remained standing upon the public sidewalk, so as to obstruct, hinder, and impede free passage upon the sidewalk as well as impede free ingress/egress to or from the adjacent places of business.”

So since Branch didn’t comply, he was “placed under arrest for misdemeanor Obstruction of LEO and received a citation for Obstructing Public Sidewalks.”

ESPN reports that he was booked at 1:26 a.m. and released at 3:44 a.m. after posting a $39 bond.

The arrest came a few hours after Branch attended Georgia’s spring football game on Saturday, where his younger brother, Zion, plays defensive back.

Since it’s not a major offense, Branch’s draft stock hasn’t slipped at all, and he’s still set to be a solid second-round pick with ESPN’s mock draft having him going 53rd to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Born in Las Vegas, Branch got his college start at USC and quickly gained attention for his speed, topping out a treadmill at 26 mph, nearly as fast as Usain Bolt. He’d later transfer to Georgia, where he recorded five touchdowns before declaring for the draft. His speed was on display again in the combine, where he stunned with a 4.35-second 40-yard dash.

See social media’s reaction to his arrest below.