QB Nelson, No. 1 recruit in ’23, picks Boise St.

Tom VanHaaren, ESPN Staff WriterJan 6, 2024, 08:31 PM ET
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- ESPN staff writer
- Joined ESPN in 2011
- Graduated from Central Michigan

Quarterback Malachi Nelson, the No. 1 prospect in the 2023 class, announced Saturday that he is transferring to Boise State.

Nelson entered the transfer portal Dec. 18, leaving USC after just one season. He sat behind Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Caleb Williams and Miller Moss this season and threw just three passes.

The 6-foot-3, 190-pound Nelson, originally from Los Alamitos, California, committed to Oklahoma when Lincoln Riley was the coach. Nelson flipped to USC when Riley took the head-coaching job there.

Nelson threw for 2,898 yards, 35 touchdowns and 4 interceptions in his final season of high school and was California’s Gatorade Player of the Year.

Boise State lost quarterback Taylen Green to a transfer to Arkansas this offseason. He threw for 1,752 yards, 11 touchdowns and 9 interceptions in 11 games this season. Coach Spencer Danielson is returning Maddux Madsen, who threw for 1,191 yards, 9 touchdowns and 3 interceptions, but dealt with an injury that allowed him to play in nine games.

Nelson recently visited to Boise State and announced his decision on social media Saturday night.

Nelson gives the Broncos a high-profile quarterback who the staff hasn’t had. With four years of eligibility remaining, he could be a long-term solution for the coaches.