Source: UTEP names former 5-star Nelson QB1

Former five-star quarterback Malachi Nelson was informed Thursday morning that he will be the starting quarterback at UTEP this season, a source told ESPN.

Nelson is the former No. 1 overall recruit in the class of 2023, per ESPN's rankings. He'll be making the first start of his college career at Utah State on Aug. 30.

In Week 3, UTEP plays at Texas, which will match Nelson against Arch Manning, who was the No. 5 overall recruit and No. 3 pocket passing quarterback in the Class of 2023.

Nelson transferred to UTEP this winter after starting his career at USC in 2023 and transferring to Boise State for the 2024 season.

Nelson won what the coaching staff had cast all spring and summer as a tight battle with incumbent Skyler Locklear. The growth that Nelson showed from the spring to this point and his embrace of the leadership role were two reasons he won the job.

Considering his ranking and pedigree, Nelson has always had significant natural talent. He's begun to channel that now, and there's been flashes of his upside and potential. Nelson has three years of eligibility remaining.

Nelson played Los Alamitos High School in Southern California, and he originally committed to play for Lincoln Riley at Oklahoma. He switched his commitment to USC once Riley became the head coach of the Trojans, and played a season there in 2023 behind Caleb Williams and Miller Moss.

He left for Boise State in 2024, but could not beat out starting quarterback Maddux Madsen, who led Boise State to a 12-2 season and a College Football Playoff appearance.

Nelson has compiled limited statistics over his two college seasons, as he played in one game for USC and three for Boise State. He completed 12-of-17 passes for 128 yards at Boise, throwing one interception.

When he picked UTEP in January, he did much because of his faith in second-year UTEP coach Scotty Walden. UTEP went 3-9 in Walden's first season, with the three wins coming in Conference USA against FIU, Kennesaw State and New Mexico State.

In his senior season at Los Alamitos, Nelson threw for 2,898 yards and 35 touchdowns. He won back-to-back California Gatorade Player of the Year honors. Nelson was among the most sought-after quarterbacks in the country, as he held offers in high school from Georgia, Alabama, Ohio State, Michigan and Notre Dame.

Of the top six pocket passing quarterbacks in 2023, only Manning is still with his original school. Nelson is on his third school, Dante Moore transferred from UCLA to Oregon, Nico Iamaleava transferred from Tennessee to UCLA, Eli Holstein from Alabama to Pitt and Dylan Lonergan from Alabama to Boston College.