The current landscape of NIL deals has made multiple college football players millionaires before they ever set foot in Pro Football. Companies and brands are vying to get the signature of future NFL stars. The Jordan Brand is among those entities, looking to sign the talent that has what it takes to shine the brightest. It already possesses an impressive list of NFL signees in 49ers WR Deebo Samuel, Eagles QB Jalen Hurts and Dallas Cowboys QB Dak Prescott. Now, it has added new stars to its list. 

The Jordan Brand has signed multiyear NIL deals with Zachariah Branch and Zion Branch. The two USC stars have now become the first college football players to have been contracted by the brand. Zachariah has already been getting All-American honors in college football, and Zion will look to make a strong comeback from his injury in the 2024 season.  

Naturally, the Branch brothers, who are related to Pro Football Hall of Famer, Cliff Branch, are delighted at having the opportunity to associate themselves with a brand inspired by Michael Jordan. Reacting to the development, Zachariah Branch could not contain his happiness. “…we’re making history,” he said, declaring Michael Jordan the standard of greatness in sports.

Zachariah Branch, a WR and return specialist for the Trojans, impressed everyone with his numbers in his freshman season at USC. In his returns, Zachariah averaged 20.8 yards/punt return and 18.4 yards/kick return. This strong showing helped him feature in various All-American lists.

On the other hand, Zion Branch, who plays as a safety, had his sophomore season halted by a season-ending injury. However, both remain strong prospects. That did not stop fans from taking issue with the new development. One Instagram user declared, “no where to be found,” reacting to the news story about the NIL deals. 

Fans give their verdict on Zion and Zachariah Branch signing with Jordan Brand

Not everyone seems pleased with the success of the Branch brothers. It is historic for a college football player to have such an association. Multiple fans took issue with Zion Branch getting an NIL deal from the Jordan Brand. “Does the brother even play that much? Lol,” one fan said. Another fan went into a little more detail, adding, “He’s literally coming off multiple years with season-ending injuries…smh.”

Looking at Zion’s college football record, the fans may have a point. The No. 58 overall recruit for the 2022 season, Zion’s college football career as a safety for the Trojans did not start on a good note. He had to miss his freshman year due to an ACL injury. He made a comeback in the 2023 season. However, a knee injury meant that he could only appear in 9 games for the team. Another fan quickly pointed out the contradiction that Zion Branch had chosen USC over Oklahoma University in 2022. That did not change the fortunes of either the Trojans or the OU. “OU hasn’t won anything and has won less games since Zachariah has been at USC,” the fan said.

Another Instagram user highlighted USC’s recent record in college football, adding that the university has done nothing to deserve such fame. “USC really ain’t even good like talkin bout lmao. they’ve done nothing but have Caleb Williams and couldn’t do nothing, and they should be owning NIL out of everyone rn lmao,” as per the fan. Funnily, the overall record remained average when the Trojans had the services of the eventual Heisman Trophy winner, Caleb Williams. What do you think about this move by the Branch brothers? Tell us your opinion in the comments.