3-star JUCO guard Johari Branch signs with Maryland football

Editor’s note: This story was initially published after Branch’s commitment Dec. 7. It has been updated to reflect his signing.

Maryland football secured a commitment from offensive guard Johari Branch during an official visit on Dec. 7, and the JUCO product officially signed with the Terps Wednesday morning.

“Recruitment over. My dream really coming true. Big 10 here I come,” Branch wrote in his commitment post on Twitter.

Branch attends Independence Community College — which was prominently featured as the home of the Netflix series Last Chance U in 2017 and 2018.

Standing at a whopping 6’3, 325 pounds, Branch brings some much-needed size to the Maryland offensive line. While being listed as a guard/center, Branch will likely project as a guard at Maryland and could have an immediate impact as the lack of push from the Terps’ offensive line has been a key weakness since joining the Big Ten.

The weekend he committed was a big one for Mike Locksley and his staff as the program hosted a large group of visitors, including Branch and some of his Independence CC teammates.

With the recent inundation of transfers out of the Maryland program, Locksley and his staff have been searching the junior college ranks to find players that can contribute right away and help to lay the proper foundation to make success at Maryland sustainable.