Priority 2022 Rivals100 safety Zion Branch shares latest in USC recruitment

LAS VEGAS, Nev. -- High atop USC's 2022 recruiting board is 4-star Rivals100 safety Zion Branch, who is already commanding a full press from the Trojans coaching staff although he's just starting his junior year at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas.

While the top national prospect has almost three dozen offers already, it's been telling for him to see which schools have reached out the most since Sept. 1, when college coaches could start initiating contact with 2022 prospects.

"[The communication with USC has] been heavy actually. I just talked to coach [Todd] Orlando today. I've been talking to coach [Clay] Helton weekly actually and obviously coach Donte Williams. They've been reaching out to me a lot. The communication has picked up a lot," Branch told TrojanSports.com on Friday. "USC's reaching out the most for me, actually, of all schools."

Branch added that safeties coach Craig Naivar texts him daily as well and they hopped on a FaceTime call last week, so the Trojans have several coaches working to build a significant relationship with the elite safety.

Branch, who is ranked the No. 4 safety and No. 39 overall prospect in the 2022 class, has called USC a "dream school" with strong family ties in Southern California. But the Trojans have competition, of course.

"Sept. 1 was a lot of calls. But the people that have been following up are USC, LSU, Ohio State, Washington, Arizona State," he said.