According to On3’s Pete Nakos, UTEP quarterback Malachi Nelson plans to enter the NCAA transfer portal. Nelson is a former highly rated recruit who has bounced around throughout his career. After a short stint in El Paso with the Miners, the plan appears to be to hit the open market once again.
Nelson saw action in six games this past season for UTEP. He threw for 1,163 yards, eight touchdowns, and nine interceptions while completing 54.7% of his throws. UTEP head coach Scotty Walden named Nelson as the team’s starting quarterback to begin the season. By Oct. 8, Nelson had made his last appearance.
“Malachi is as talented as anyone I’ve ever coached,” Walden said this past summer. “His arm talent is unbelievable. Now that he’s here, I can see the game slowing down for him this summer, so that’s been good to see. I can’t speak for when he was recruited at USC or anything like that, but what I found so impressive about him in the recruiting process and even with him now was his humility.
“He’s got a lot of humility. This guy genuinely loves ball. He wants to be the best. He knows when he does well and he knows when he needs to do better. I’ve been super impressed with his work ethic.”
Nelson played high school football at Los Alamitos (CA), where he was a Five-Star Plus+ prospect. He was the No. 11 overall recruit in the 2023 cycle, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.
USC and head coach Lincoln Riley won Nelson’s signature coming out of high school. Just one season was spent in Los Angeles before leaving in favor of Boise State. Nelson was on the roster for the Broncos’ run to the College Football Playoff but was not the starter.
Between his time at USC and Boise State, Nelson played in four games. Twenty passes were thrown, primarily in his second destination. Those added up to 128 yards, no touchdowns, and an interception. Nelson will be hoping to find a more consistent role wherever he winds up out of this offseason’s portal cycle.
To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire. The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and Twitter account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves.