PEARL – One of the most well-known football players in Mississippi junior college history was recognized on Tuesday night.
Deion Branch, who was an All-American wide receiver at Jones County Junior College and later a Super Bowl Most Valuable Player, represented JCJC at the Tenth annual Mississippi Community and Junior College Sports Hall of Fame induction banquet here at the Muse Center on the Rankin County campus of Hinds Community College.
Branch played in 1997-98 at JCJC and was an NJCAA All-American second-team wide receiver in 1998 when he played for head coach Parker Dykes.
The Albany, Georgia, native played on the 12-0 team in 1998 that won the MACJC championship and was named national champion by the Mike Gottfried Sports Magazine.
During Branch's freshman year, he caught 37 passes for 369 yards and five touchdowns and returned 14 kickoffs for a 23.6 yards per return average. In 1998, Branch had 70 catches for 1,012 yards and nine scores. He returned 15 punts for a 12.8 average and 17 kickoffs for a 19.6 average.
After leaving Jones, Branch signed with the University of Louisville where he starred in 2000-01.
As a junior, he started 10 games and led the team with 71 receptions for 1,016 yards and nine touchdowns. He was sixth in the NCAA with 6.45 receptions per game. The Cardinals went 9-3, won the Conference USA championship and participated in the 2000 Liberty Bowl where Branch had a bowl-record 10 receptions for 170 yards and one touchdown in a 22-17 loss to Colorado State. He was named first-team All-Conference USA, Louisville's Most Valuable Player and Outstanding Offensive Performer.
In 2001, Branch led the team with 72 receptions for a league-best 1,188 yards and nine touchdowns. He had 10 punt returns for 112 yards, including a 61-yard return for a score. The Cardinals were 11-2, won the CUSA title again and defeated Brigham Young University 28-10 in the Liberty Bowl. Branch had a 34-yard touchdown catch vs. the Cougars in the victory. He was again named first-team All-CUSA.
Branch was then drafted in the second round of the 2002 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots.
In his second season in 2003, Branch had 57 catches for 803 yards and three touchdowns. In the Patriots' 32-29 victory over the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl XXXVIII, he had 10 receptions for 143 yards and one touchdown.
During his third season in the NFL in 2004, Branch was injured and missed seven games of the regular season. But he returned and had a 60-yard touchdown reception in New England's win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC Championship Game and was named the NFL Offensive Player of the Game.
Two weeks later in Super Bowl XXXIX, Branch tied a Super Bowl record with 11 catches for 133 yards and was named the game's MVP as the Patriots defeated the Philadelphia Eagles, 24-21.
Branch played from 2002-05 with the Patriots and from 2006 through part of the 2010 season with the Seattle Seahawks. He then went back to the Patriots in 2010 and finished his career in 2012. He did sign a contract with Indianapolis in January of 2013, but did not play with the Colts.
For his NFL career, Branch had 518 receptions for 6,644 yards and 39 touchdowns.
Branch has returned to JCJC several times over the years and has donated money to the football weight room. He has also appeared in the Pine Belt Area Fellowship of Christian Athletes Golf Tournament.
Branch and his wife, Shola, have four children: Deiondre, Deiontey, D'ahni and Nylah.
Branch becomes the 13^th representative from JCJC to be named to the MCJC Sports Hall of Fame. He joins Sim Cooley, Joe Flowers and A.B. Howard (Class of 2007); Randall Boone and John Perkins (Class of 2008); Gene Tullos (Class of 2009); Gwen Magee (Class of 2010); L.D. Ready (Class of 2011); Parker Dykes (Class of 2012); Mike McClellan (Class of 2013); Jackie Parker (Class of 2014) and Elmer Higginbotham (Class of 2015).
Joining Branch in the Class of 2015 for the state Hall of Fame are: James Washington, Sr. (Coahoma), Troy C. Greer (Copiah-Lincoln), Marcus Thames (East Central), Dr. Thomas L. "Tommy" Davis, Jr. (East Mississippi), Minor Hines (Hinds), Mike Kinnison (Holmes), Billy Q. Caples (Itawamba), Sean Covich (Meridian), Mike DeJean (Mississippi Delta), Connie Winstead-Mackay (Mississippi Gulf Coast), Phyllis Stafford Dilworth (Northeast), Fred Thomas (Northwest), Jeffery Posey (Pearl River) and Charleen S. Newcomb (Southwest).