Former Five-Star Malachi Nelson Named UTEP Starting Quarterback

Malachi Nelson, a former five-star recruit and transfer from Boise State, has been named the starting quarterback for the UTEP Miners for the 2025 season, marking his first collegiate starting role. Nelson, who originally committed to USC and competed for starting jobs at USC and Boise State, won a five-way quarterback competition at UTEP, surpassing last year's starter Skyler Locklear and others. Despite a challenging start to his college career, including limited playing time behind elite quarterbacks like Caleb Williams, Nelson showed steady improvement during fall camp under head coach Scotty Walden. UTEP hopes Nelson's talent, highly rated coming out of Los Alamitos High School where he was a two-time Gatorade California Player of the Year, will help improve upon their 3-9 record from the previous season. Nelson's first start will come against Utah State on August 30, with a notable matchup against Texas' quarterback Arch Manning scheduled for week three. This opportunity marks a significant step in Nelson's journey to fulfill the high expectations set during his high school recruitment.