Malachi Nelson, formerly the No. 1 ranked prospect in the entire 2023 class according to ESPN.com, becomes the highest rated recruit in school history. After only playing just four snaps while redshirting at University of Southern California in 2023, the Los Alamitos, California native decided to enter the transfer portal.
With the departure of former quarterback Taylen Green to Arkansas, Boise State has been in desperate need of a powerful quarterback and saw the opportunity to snag one of the best quarterbacks in the transfer portal. Before Nelson, Boise State had just two scholarship quarterbacks – Maddux Madsen and CJ Tiller.
Nelson passed for 2,898 yards and 35 touchdowns as a senior at Los Alamitos High School in Southern California. With his incredible high school performance, the star had numerous offers from major programs.
With offers from the likes of Ohio State, Notre Dame, University of Alabama, University of Georgia, and University of Michigan, Nelson had been recruited by numerous programs before signing with USC.
Nelson played second fiddle to potential NFL No. 1 pick Caleb Williams on the depth chart. Nelson did not see much playing time in his time at USC.
Landing Nelson is just another massive win for first-year coach Spencer Danielson, who has been tallying his wins since keeping star running back Ashton Jeanty to stay with the Broncos for the 2024 season.