Subscribe
Follow Us
Three years into his college football career, Malachi Nelson might have finally found a home at UTEP. After stops at USC and Boise State, the former No. 1 quarterback recruit will have a third chance with the Miners in 2025.
After an extensive offseason battle, the UTEP coaching staff told Nelson that he will be the team's starting quarterback in Week 1, ESPN's Pete Thamel reported. He beat out incumbent starter Skyler Locklear to win the job.
Nelson was not only the top quarterback of the class of 2023 but also the No. 1 overall recruit, ahead of players like Arch Manning, Jackson Arnold, Caleb Downs, and Dante Moore. However, he has yet to make his first college football start and is now at his third school in as many years.
Nelson's commitment to USC set the table for potential future dominance, with fellow top recruits Zachariah Branch and Makai Lemon joining him in Los Angeles. He spent his first year as a redshirt behind 2022 Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams, but was expected to take the reins in 2024. Instead, Nelson watched Miller Moss throw six touchdowns in the 2024 Holiday Bowl and decided to transfer to Boise State, where he could never escape Maddux Madsen's shadow.
While Nelson is easily the most prestigious name of the UTEP quarterback room, taking the job from Locklear was no simple feat. The junior joined the Miners in 2024 from Austin Peay, following head coach Scotty Walden to El Paso. Locklear took the job from Cade McConnell, who started the final five games of 2023, and notched 1,583 passing yards, 10 touchdowns and six interceptions in 10 games in 2024.
Malachi Nelson looks to elevate UTEP football offense in 2025
UTEP went just 3-9 in 2024, marking its third consecutive losing season. Despite the poor record, the Miners showed promise near the end of the year, going 3-3 over their final six games.
Entering his second year as head coach, Walden returns 10 starters, including Locklear. UTEP did not hit the college football transfer portal as aggressively as many mid-major programs do, but added linebacker Joshua Randolph from Indiana, defensive end Oryend Fisher from West Virginia, and defensive end Udoka Ezeani from Boise State, in addition to Nelson.
With three of the team's top four receivers returning, Nelson has a solid committee to work with from the jump. His career has not gone as planned thus far, but Nelson is still just a sophomore who is now working in what appears to be the right situation.
![Florida Gators quarterback DJ Lagway (2) throws the ball during fall football practice at Heavener Football Complex at the University of Florida in Gainesville, FL on Tuesday, August 12, 2025. [Matt Pendleton/Gainesville Sun]](https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Lagway-throws.jpg)
