About

T.J. Branch Jr. is a 6-foot-3, 170-pound safety who sports No. 22 for the Colorado Buffaloes. He is a four-star recruit on ESPN and On3 and a three-star on 247Sports and Rivals. He came to Boulder in the 2025 cycle as a player known for length, closing speed, and a bold approach in run support. ESPN ranked him the nation’s No. 26 safety, while the 247Sports Composite placed him in the overall top-50 at the position.

Although just a true freshman, Branch is already in the conversation for early playing time thanks to Colorado’s aggressive defensive makeover under head coach Deion “Coach Prime” Sanders. The chance to learn directly from a Hall-of-Fame defensive back was a huge draw for the Miami native—and a storyline Buffs fans will watch closely all season.

Bios

Position:	Safety
Weight:	170
Hometown:	Miami, Fla.
Height:	6-3
Class:	Freshman
High School:	Miami Northwestern
TJ Branch Net Worth	$500 Thousand

Before Fame

Branch’s football lineage traces back through two of South Florida’s historic programs. Branch played his sophomore and senior years at Miami Northwestern, after playing a junior year at Booker T. Washington. Under the tutelage of former NFL quarterback-turned-high-school-coach Teddy Bridgewater at Northwestern, Branch developed into one of the state’s best tacklers. He registered 52 tackles and two interceptions as a sophomore, then compiled 28 stops and a pick in his only year at Booker T. Washington.

His final year put the finishing touches on a nostalgic string: 12-2, Florida 3A state title, and a nomination for the highly regarded Nat Moore Trophy, which is awarded to South Florida’s best high-school player. That postseason chatter, along with solid performances on the camp circuit, landed him on Power Five radars and eventually blue-chip status.

Trivia

• Recruiting plot twist: Branch originally committed to Penn State in June 2024. Three months later, after an electric visit to Boulder that included Colorado’s overtime win versus Baylor, he flipped to the Buffaloes—becoming the eighth commit in Coach Prime’s budding 2025 class.
• South Florida accolade: His Nat Moore Trophy nomination put him on a short list that previously featured NFL talents like T.Y. Hilton and Lamar Jackson.
• Early learner: Because Northwestern asked him to fill roles at boundary corner, box safety, and even occasional nickel linebacker, Branch entered college with a grasp of multiple coverages—not just single-high safety work.
• Social snapshot: On X (Twitter), he uses @3gumpp, a name borrowed from the Forrest Gump character’s do-it-all attitude.
• Number choice: He chose No. 22 to pay tribute to both Deion Sanders (No. 21) and Miami legend Sean Taylor (No. 26), meeting in the middle as a tribute to both.

Family Life

T.J. is the son of Katrina Levarity. He has one sister, Antrinique, and two brothers, Antron and Aydin. The family’s support network stretches from Miami to Boulder—as evidenced by Katrina’s proud social-media posts during his official visit and national-signing-day ceremony.

Outside of football, Branch loves to fish the Biscayne Bay flats with his brothers and FaceTime back home to exchange pepper-shrimp recipes with his grandmother. He says that the conversations keep him humble as he transitions to Colorado’s altitude and a full college course load.

Associated With

• Deion “Coach Prime” Sanders – Head coach at Colorado and one of the greatest defensive backs ever. Branch has said lining up in the same meeting room as Sanders is “like getting a masterclass every single day.”
• Teddy Bridgewater – Former NFL quarterback who coached Branch at Miami Northwestern, reinforcing the importance of film study and footwork.
• Kam Mikell – Another 2025 Colorado signee; the two were named “Football Students of the Week” together on campus and often push each other in post-practice conditioning runs.
• Travis Hunter & Shilo Sanders – Versatile playmakers in the Buffaloes’ secondary room. Practicing against them daily has accelerated Branch’s learning curve in press coverage and route recognition.
• South Florida DB pipeline – Branch follows a line of Miami-area safeties who thrived in college, including Sean Taylor (Miami), Jaquan Johnson (Miami), and James Williams (Miami). He hopes to add his name to that legacy—this time in black and gold.