Last Friday, 2020 3-star DB Daran Branch and his entire 7-on-7 team visited Miami. On the visit, the Canes pulled the trigger and offered the Louisiana native.
“I went up there with my 7-on-7 team and the coaches pulled me to the side and we talked. I met the defensive coordinator, the linebackers coach, and the corners coach. They said we want to offer you a full scholarship to the University of Miami.”
Branch had been waiting on Miami to offer for a while now and was elated when it finally happened.
“I was in awe. I was waiting for that offer for three years. When I finally got it, I was excited about it. Very excited about it.”
Despite being offered as a safety, Branch spent most of his time talking to Jon Patke. Coach Patke attempted to sell Branch on the tradition and the future at the University of Miami.
“Just the tradition. The people that came through ‘The U.’ The things that they are building. That’s basically it.”
The message from Coach Patke seems to be a simple one, but it’s one that stuck with Branch.
“I love it. I love the plan. I felt a great vibe when I was there.”
The campus itself also made an impression on Branch.
“Just being on the campus, it’s like you’re in a city. Everywhere you go there’s something big, something new that a lot of people haven’t seen before.”
All of that put together is enough to put Miami in the driver's seat for Branch’s recruitment.
“Miami is number one; I can tell you that. Miami is number one right now.”
Most people expect Louisiana natives to favor LSU over out of state schools, so why is Branch so drawn to Miami?
“Like I said, who wouldn’t want to be in Miami? But the main reason is LSU not offering me. It’s kind of disrespectful. I’m number three in Louisiana, and LSU still hasn't offered me, but Miami pulled the trigger, so I found that very interesting.”
There is a chance Branch visits Notre Dame, USC, Michigan, and LSU in the coming months, but nothing official has been set up there yet. The one school that Branch knows for sure he will visit again is Miami.
“In two weeks we gotta go back down for national’s 7-on-7, and then I’ll go back again for the Paradise Camp.”
Branch does not know when he will make a decision, but he knows what will be a deciding factor when he does commit.
“My biggest reason would be the academics. How can they help me graduate college and how can they help me get to the next level, which is the NFL.”
“I went up there with my 7-on-7 team and the coaches pulled me to the side and we talked. I met the defensive coordinator, the linebackers coach, and the corners coach. They said we want to offer you a full scholarship to the University of Miami.”
Branch had been waiting on Miami to offer for a while now and was elated when it finally happened.
“I was in awe. I was waiting for that offer for three years. When I finally got it, I was excited about it. Very excited about it.”
Despite being offered as a safety, Branch spent most of his time talking to Jon Patke. Coach Patke attempted to sell Branch on the tradition and the future at the University of Miami.
“Just the tradition. The people that came through ‘The U.’ The things that they are building. That’s basically it.”
The message from Coach Patke seems to be a simple one, but it’s one that stuck with Branch.
“I love it. I love the plan. I felt a great vibe when I was there.”
The campus itself also made an impression on Branch.
“Just being on the campus, it’s like you’re in a city. Everywhere you go there’s something big, something new that a lot of people haven’t seen before.”
All of that put together is enough to put Miami in the driver's seat for Branch’s recruitment.
“Miami is number one; I can tell you that. Miami is number one right now.”
Most people expect Louisiana natives to favor LSU over out of state schools, so why is Branch so drawn to Miami?
“Like I said, who wouldn’t want to be in Miami? But the main reason is LSU not offering me. It’s kind of disrespectful. I’m number three in Louisiana, and LSU still hasn't offered me, but Miami pulled the trigger, so I found that very interesting.”
There is a chance Branch visits Notre Dame, USC, Michigan, and LSU in the coming months, but nothing official has been set up there yet. The one school that Branch knows for sure he will visit again is Miami.
“In two weeks we gotta go back down for national’s 7-on-7, and then I’ll go back again for the Paradise Camp.”
Branch does not know when he will make a decision, but he knows what will be a deciding factor when he does commit.
“My biggest reason would be the academics. How can they help me graduate college and how can they help me get to the next level, which is the NFL.”
