Former Top Recruit Malachi Nelson Wins Starting QB Job At UTEP

Former Southern Cal and Boise State quarterback Malachi Nelson has won the starting quarterback job at UTEP, as first reported by Pete Thamel of ESPN.

The former 247Sports’ five-star recruit signed with the Miners after entering the transfer portal for the second time in his career and now appears primed to earn his first significant collegiate game action.

Nelson beat out Miners’ redshirt senior quarterback Cade McConnell, redshirt junior Skyler Locklear and redshirt freshman Shay Smith.

The 6-foot-3, 193-pound Los Alamitos, Calif. na tive has appeared in four games over his two collegiate seasons, mostly in mop-up duty for the Broncos after losing the quarterback competition to Maddux Madsen.

Nelson was one of the most coveted players in the 2023 class, signing with USC after being recruited by Alabama, Oklahoma and Arizona among several programs.

UTEP head coach Scotty Walden is looking to build on a 3-9 season last year, which saw the Miners close the season going 3-3 after getting off to an 0-6 start.

In week three, UTEP plays at Texas, a contest which will see Nelson square off against Longhorns’ quarterback Arch Manning, who was the No. 5 overall recruit and No. 3 pocket passing quarterback in the Class of 2023, per ESPN’s rankings.

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