Video emerged of true freshman USC football wide receiver Zachariah Branch running on a treadmill, and he hit 26 mph.

Seeing how fast Zachariah Branch was running, it has to have head coach Lincoln Riley and Caleb Williams excited about ways he could be involved in the offense for the upcoming season. The speed could be something that is used to take the top off of a defense.

We saw how much a speed can help a team with the impact that Jaylin Hyatt made for Tennessee last year. Zachariah Branch could bring the same type of impact if this is the kind of speed he brings on the field.

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Caleb Williams is expected to be one of the top quarterbacks in the 2024 NFL Draft, and Branch could be one of his top weapons this season. It will be interesting to see how Lincoln Riley uses him in the offense, and what type of role he will have as a freshman at the USC football program.

Branch was the No. 7 recruit in the 2023 recruiting class, and the No. 1 wide receiver in the class, according to 247Sports. He is 5-foot-10 and 175 lbs.

Riley is certainly expecting to do big things with the USC football program. With the talent he can bring into that program, the expectation will be to compete for and win a national championship at some point. If he keeps pulling in players as talented as Branch, then the goal becomes more achievable. Branch did commit to USC before Riley got the job, but he should still be a key piece for the Trojans.