Former UGA football DB enters transfer portal

Former Georgia defensive back Daran Branch has entered the NCAA transfer portal

Former Georgia Bulldogs defensive back Daran Branch has entered the NCAA transfer portal.

Branch was a three-star recruit in the class of 2020. Branch played high school football at Amite High School in Louisiana.

Before committing to the University of Georgia, Branch had been committed to the Ole Miss Rebels. Kirby Smart and the Dawgs were able to get him to flip on signing day in 2020.

The former three-star defensive back was not with the Bulldogs for the 2021 season while he debated his football future. Branch recorded one tackle in one game in 2020. The former Amite star has regained interest in returning to college football.

Daran Branch, Kelee Ringo, Jalen Kimber and Major Burns combined to form Georgia’s four scholarship defensive backs in the class of 2020.

Kimber has transferred to Florida. Branch is no longer with the team and is in the portal. Burns transferred to LSU. Ringo, a former five-star, did have a game-clinching interception return for a touchdown in the national championship game.

Georgia Bulldogs defensive back Kelee Ringo runs for a touchdown after an interception against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the 2022 CFP national championship game. Ringo is UGA’s final class of 2020 defensive back recruit on the roster. Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

Kirby Smart and the Dawgs can be proud they landed Ringo in the class of 2020. Georgia had to make efforts to reload at the position in the class of 2022 with four more defensive back signees.

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Report: UGA football DB returns to the team

Georgia Bulldogs defensive back Daran Branch has returned to the team following an absence.

Georgia Bulldogs defensive back Daran Branch has returned to the team. Branch is back in Athens after returning home to Louisiana.

Branch was a three-star recruit in the class of 2020. Branch, a true freshman, played high school football at Amite in Louisiana.

Before committing to the University of Georgia, Branch was previously committed to the Ole Miss Rebels. Kirby Smart, former Ole Miss coach Matt Luke, and the Dawgs were able to get him to flip on signing day in 2020.

Daran Branch, Kelee Ringo (who recently underwent shoulder surgery), Jalen Kimber and Major Burns combine to form Georgia’s four scholarship defensive backs in the class of 2020. Branch has missed some important practice time and may be brought along slowly in 2020.

Branch was contemplating if he wanted to continue his football career and returned home, per 247Sports. DawgNation was the first to report Branch’s absence with the team.

Georgia has limited media availability during preseason practice, which makes information on Branch quite limited. We’ll continue to update you on his status.

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Report: Georgia DB not with the team

Georgia Bulldogs defensive back Daran Branch is no longer with the team in Athens

Georgia Bulldogs defensive back Daran Branch is no longer with the team in Athens after being a three-star recruit in the class of 2020. Branch, a true freshman, played high school football at Amite in Louisiana.

Before committing to the University of Georgia, Branch was committed to the Ole Miss Rebels. Kirby Smart and the Dawgs were able to get him to flip on signing day in 2020.

Daran Branch, Kelee Ringo (who recently underwent shoulder surgery), Jalen Kimber and Major Burns make up Georgia’s four scholarship defensive backs in the class of 2020. Without Branch, the class is a little bit thin at the defensive back position.

Branch is contemplating if he wants to continue his football career and returned home, per 247Sports. DawgNation was the first to report Branch’s absence with the team.

Georgia has limited media availability during preseason practice, which makes information on Branch quite limited.

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Georgia football player card: DB Daran Branch

Georgia Bulldogs defensive back Daran Branch comes to Athens after being a three-star recruit in the class of 2020.

Daran Branch, defensive back (No. 26):

Class: Freshman

Height: 6-2

Weight: 178 pounds

Hometown: Amite, Louisiana

High School: Amite High School

Georgia Bulldogs defensive back Daran Branch comes to Athens after being a three-star recruit in the class of 2020. Branch has excellent length for a cornerback.

Before committing to the University of Georgia, Branch was committed to the Ole Miss Rebels. Kirby Smart and the Dawgs were able to get him to flip on signing day in 2020.

Daran Branch, Kelee Ringo (who recently underwent shoulder surgery), Jalen Kimber, and Major Burns make up Georgia’s four scholarship defensive backs in the class of 2020. Branch is the only player of the group who isn’t rated as a four or five-star prospect. That being said, three-star recruits commonly make impacts at both the college and pro football levels.

Dan Lanning and the Georgia Bulldogs defense has a loaded defensive backfield for 2020 and beyond. Eric Stokes and Tyson Campbell are projected to be UGA’s starting cornerbacks next season.

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Rival SEC commit visits Georgia football staff in Athens

Ole Miss pledge Daran Branch is in Athens for weekend to meet with Kirby Smart and Matt Luke.

The Georgia Bulldogs have a visitor on campus committed to a conference rival.

Ole Miss pledge Daran Branch is in Athens for weekend to meet with Kirby Smart and company. His primary recruiter is Matt Luke, former University of Mississippi head coach and current offensive line coach at Georgia.

It will be one of Branch’s five allotted official visits.

Branch, a three-star senior cornerback out of Amite, Louisiana, committed to Ole Miss on November 17, two weeks before Luke was ousted from Oxford.

The lengthy cornerback certainly fits Kibry Smart’s mold for an ideal defensive back’s size and has the speed, awareness, and ball skills to be a ball hawk at safety.

Georgia’s 2020 defense will return the vast majority of the team’s 2019 starters, but only have two cornerbacks (five-star Kelee Ringo and four-star Jalen Kimber, the latter of whom already enrolled at UGA) and one saftey (Major Burns, enrolled) in the 2020 class.

Branch previously committed to Miami in March. It seems like a spot is there for him in Athens given his relationship with Matt Luke, but his commitment will be one to keep on eye on in the next week and a half before National Signing Day.