Dillon Bell filled a new role for Georgia this offseason.
The veteran receiver put on his recruiter hat as the Bulldogs pursued highly-coveted USC transfer receiver Zachariah Branch. Bell talked to Branch often as he delivered a succinct message.
“If you want to get developed and you want to go and be the receiver that you want to be, this is the best place to be," Bell said of what he told Branch. "I feel like our offense is a pro-style offense. It doesn't get too much harder than here as it does in the NFL because we run similar plays as they do. You go against the best defense in college, in my opinion. So I feel like if you want to get better, this is the place to be.”
The plan worked. Branch, along with his defensive back brother Zion, committed to Georgia in early January. They are now going through their first spring as members of the Bulldog program.
"I feel like it's a real brotherhood and, you know, it's not just words," Branch said. "Some people just say, okay, you have to have the bond and the things like that to be a great team, but I really do truly believe that they built that into this program and they've consistently done it year after year. And just to be surrounded by a lot of like-minded players as well, you know, all trying to get toward the same goal is something that is really important to me as well. And once I got into that portal, it was pretty easy to make my decision from there."
Georgia's main pitch to Branch centered on his explosive playmaking ability on the field and his character off it. Branch added that the Bulldog coaches saw him as a player who could help push other players to be their best.
Branch has had to adjust everywhere. For starters, he moved across the country to an entirely new state with different weather than California ("Man, the pollen is crazy," Branch said).
After two seasons in Lincoln Riley's offense at USC, Branch is also getting used to the pro-style offense of Kirby Smart and Mike Bobo.
"Definitely a lot of the hand signals and things like that, being able to dissect the hand signals, the motion, the shifts, different things like that," Branch said. "We didn't have that many hand signals, you know, being a different type of offense from high school to the previous school I was at to now. But, you know, I'm definitely adjusting and having a good time, spending time extra in the film room, you know, with the GAs, with the receiver coaches, and sometimes extra receivers as well, just getting a chance to get as much in as I can so when I get on the field, then it's second nature."
Smart said Branch is still adjusting to the speed and intensity of practice in Athens. But he has seen Branch's extreme quickness on the field, and he also said Branch has already been vocal in the team's "skull sessions" off the field.
As for Branch, his time at Georgia so far has felt like a bit of a full-circle moment.
He has known fellow Califonians Nate Frazier and Earnest Greene for years, even having run track against Frazier when they were 9 and 10 years old. Branch also said Georgia so far reminds him of his time at Las Vegas prep powerhouse Bishop Gorman with the high standards in place.
Now that he's in Athens, Branch hopes those familiar feelings can take his game to the next level.
"My parents hold me accountable, whether it's academics, athletically. So, you know, this program just really reminded me of how my upbringing was," Branch said. "To get to that next level, I feel like this was the best step for me."
