The 2023 college football regular season has come to a close and bowl games have officially begun. But until the College Football Playoff gets underway, all eyes are on the transfer portal, which has been busier than ever. Over 3,000 players have entered the portal and there are still more to come. Some big names have already decided on new homes, such as Oklahoma's Dillon Gabriel and UCLA's Dante Moore, who both will be heading to Eugene and join the Oregon Ducks program. But there is still a trove of big names who are entering the portal. One of those big names just entered the portal a couple of days ago. That being USC's Malachi Nelson.
Malachi Nelson is not nobody. He was the number one overall recruiting prospect just one year ago, according to ESPN. Nelson was hailed as the heir apparent to Caleb Williams after Williams inevitably leaves USC for the NFL. But for now, he joins Dante Moore as top two recruits from last year's recruiting class to enter the transfer portal. Moore has already landed at Oregon, where he will likely backup Dillon Gabriel for a season before being given the keys to the car. Perhaps that will be the template for Nelson and his renewed recruitment as well. But it seems like wants the chance to start right away. Fortunately for him, there are a couple of spots he can land and likely start right away.
Ohio State Buckeyes
A former number one overall recruit who plays quarterback doesn't get meaningful playing time in his freshman season and ends up transferring. Sound familiar? Those were the circumstances Justin Fields faced while he was at Georgia before he transferred to Ohio State football, where he performed like a star and played his way into being a first-round pick. Malachi Nelson now finds himself in the same boat, and it would make sense for him for a couple of reasons to follow in Fields' footsteps and march on to Columbus.
For one, Ohio State football needs a quarterback. The Buckeyes' quarterback, Kyle McCord, entered in the portal himself and has since landed with Syracuse. Another reason? Ohio State football has a healthy track record of getting quarterbacks drafted in the NFL. Dwayne Haskins, Justin Fields, and CJ Stroud (technically Joe Burrow too) have all been first-round picks under Ryan Day's stewardship as head coach or offensive coordinator. Marvin Harrison Jr. and Emeka Egbuka may be leaving town, but Ohio State will should be loaded weapons for Malachi Nelson to throw to. This looks like a great potential fit.
LSU Tigers
LSU football makes sense as a potential landing spot for Nelson for a bunch of the same reasons. For one, they too are going to need a new quarterback next season. Jayden Daniels, fresh off of winning the Heisman trophy, announced he is declaring for the 2024 NFL Draft, where he will likely be a top ten pick. Though Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr. could be following Daniels to the NFL, LSU football also is always stocked with talented receivers and should have plenty of weapons for Nelson to throw to if he decides to come to Baton Rouge.
But the main reason Nelson should go to LSU football is the work they have done with transfer quarterbacks. One could argue nobody but Lincoln Riley has had more success with transfer quarterbacks than LSU. Joe Burrow and Jayden Daniels both transferred to LSU as relative afterthoughts and left as Heisman winners. Nelson is not an afterthought. He has all the talent to follow in the footsteps of those two. With the need at the position, it would make all the sense in the world for a union between these two parties.
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