Jamaal Branch
Encyclopedia
Jamaal Branch is an American football
running back
who is currently a free agent
. He was originally signed by the Saints as an undrafted free agent in 2006. He played college football
at Colgate University.
and his family moved to Mashpee, Massachusetts
, where he still resides. He is a 1999 graduate of Falmouth High School
, where he was a four-year letter-winner for the football team and was teammates at Falmouth with another former NFL player, Willie Ford.
at Colgate University
from 2000–2001, 2003-2004. After sitting out all of 2002 for personal reasons, Branch led all of Division I football with 168.8 rushing yards and 12.5 points per game in 2003, setting NCAA
records for yards (2,026), touchdowns (25), rushes (338), 100-yard games (11), and consecutive 100-yard games (11). He received the 2003 Walter Payton Award
, given annually by The Sports Network.com to the best player in Division I-AA football. It is widely considered to be the equivalent of the Heisman Trophy
for Division I-A.
signed Branch to their roster. Two days later, in the Saints' New Year's Eve
game against the Carolina Panthers
, Branch scored his first touchdown. It was a catch that was 7 yard outside rush to the end zone
. Branch broke his leg on the opening kickoff of the 2007 season's week 16 game against Philadelphia. Branch did not play again that season. He was released by the Saints on May 2, 2008.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
who is currently a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
. He was originally signed by the Saints as an undrafted free agent in 2006. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Colgate University.
Early life and education
Jamaal Branch was born in Hartford, ConnecticutHartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
and his family moved to Mashpee, Massachusetts
Mashpee, Massachusetts
Mashpee is a town in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 14,006 as of 2010.For geographic and demographic information on specific parts of the town of Mashpee, please see the articles on Mashpee Neck, Monomoscoy Island, New Seabury, Popponesset, Popponesset Island,...
, where he still resides. He is a 1999 graduate of Falmouth High School
Falmouth High School
Falmouth High School is a public high school located in the town of Falmouth, Massachusetts. The school serves roughly 1,300 students in grades 9-12. Over the past few years, Falmouth High School has gone through major renovations. Up until 1973, the school was named Lawrence High School and...
, where he was a four-year letter-winner for the football team and was teammates at Falmouth with another former NFL player, Willie Ford.
College career
Branch played college footballCollege football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Colgate University
Colgate University
Colgate University is a private liberal arts college in Hamilton, New York, USA. The school was founded in 1819 as a Baptist seminary and later became non-denominational. It is named for the Colgate family who greatly contributed to the university's endowment in the 19th century.Colgate has 52...
from 2000–2001, 2003-2004. After sitting out all of 2002 for personal reasons, Branch led all of Division I football with 168.8 rushing yards and 12.5 points per game in 2003, setting NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
records for yards (2,026), touchdowns (25), rushes (338), 100-yard games (11), and consecutive 100-yard games (11). He received the 2003 Walter Payton Award
Walter Payton Award
The Walter Payton Award is awarded annually to the most outstanding offensive player in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision of college football as chosen by a nationwide panel of media and college sports information directors...
, given annually by The Sports Network.com to the best player in Division I-AA football. It is widely considered to be the equivalent of the Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
for Division I-A.
Pro career
On December 29, 2006, it was reported that the New Orleans SaintsNew Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
signed Branch to their roster. Two days later, in the Saints' New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve is observed annually on December 31, the final day of any given year in the Gregorian calendar. In modern societies, New Year's Eve is often celebrated at social gatherings, during which participants dance, eat, consume alcoholic beverages, and watch or light fireworks to mark the...
game against the Carolina Panthers
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
, Branch scored his first touchdown. It was a catch that was 7 yard outside rush to the end zone
End zone
In gridiron-based codes of football, the end zone refers to the scoring area on the field. It is the area between the end line and goal line bounded by the sidelines. There are two end zones, each being on an opposite side of the field...
. Branch broke his leg on the opening kickoff of the 2007 season's week 16 game against Philadelphia. Branch did not play again that season. He was released by the Saints on May 2, 2008.