Former USC signal caller Malachi Nelson committed to Boise State Saturday, giving the Broncos a major talent infusion in their quarterback room. The former-five star prospect was the No. 24 overall available player in the portal, according to 247Sports.
Nelson was in the running to be the No. 1 quarterback a loaded 2023 class. He ranked fifth behind Arch Manning (Texas), Nico Iamaleava (Tennessee), Dante Moore (UCLA, Oregon) and Jackson Arnold (Oklahoma) at his position coming out of Los Alamitos (California) High School. He initially committed to Oklahoma but flipped to USC just two days after Lincoln Riley left the Sooners for the Trojans.
Nelson was expected to compete for the USC starting job in 2024 alongside backup quarterback Miller Moss, but elected to hit the transfer portal after attempting just three passes for the Trojans.
Coming out of high school, 247Sports national scouting analyst Gabe Brooks compared Nelson to Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love:
Tall, lean, and long-armed with slender natural build but frame to add some mass. Fluid mover in general, including arm motion and lower-body mechanics. Range of motion in movement patterns fosters excellent off-platform passing ability and general playmaking acumen. Alters arm angles and delivers with accuracy. Vertical arm strength, intermediate velocity, and touch to all fields speak to elite arm talent. Perhaps the most natural thrower in an excellent 2023 QB group. Flashes the functional athleticism to extend plays outside the pocket, where finding a receiver is almost always the priority over tucking and running. Still, athletic enough to hurt defenses with legs on occasion. Sees the field well and processes naturally. Production has risen each of first three years in high school. INT rate is on the higher end of the spectrum for Top247 quarterbacks -- one every 30.6 throws as a junior, one every 29.9 in freshman through junior seasons. Adding mass and strength will help withstand physical demands of high-major ball. Very likely one of the nation's top quarterbacks -- and overall prospects regardless of position -- in the 2023 class. Projects as an impact starter at the high-major level with long-term early-round NFL Draft potential.
Boise State program is entering a new era under first-year coach Spencer Danielson. After the Broncos fired former coach Andy Avalos late in the season, Danielson became the first interim coach to lead his team to a conference chamionship in FBS history. The Broncos eventually removed Danielson's interim tag and named him the full-time coach.
