Ex-USC QB Malachi Nelson, No. 1 recruit in 2023, picks Boise St. - ESPN

Quarterback Malachi Nelson, the No. 1 prospect in the 2023 class, announced Saturday that he is transferring to Boise State.

Nelson entered the transfer portal Dec. 18, leaving USC after just one season. He sat behind Heisman-winning quarterback Caleb Williams and Miller Moss this season and threw just three passes.

Nelson is a 6-foot-3, 190-pound quarterback, originally from Los Alamitos, California, and committed to Oklahoma when head coach Lincoln Riley was still the coach of the Sooners. Nelson flipped to USC when Riley took the head-coaching job for the Trojans and signed with the program.

He threw for 2,898 yards, 35 touchdowns and 4 interceptions in his final season of high school and was California's Gatorade Player of the Year.

Boise State lost quarterback Taylen Green to the transfer portal this offseason with Green transferring to Arkansas. He threw for 1,752 yards, 11 touchdowns and 9 interceptions in 11 games this season. Coach Spencer Danielson is returning Maddux Madsen, who threw for 1,191 yards, 9 touchdowns and 3 interceptions, but dealt with an injury that only allowed him to see action in nine games.

Nelson recently took a visit to Boise State and announced his decision on X on Saturday night.

Nelson gives the Broncos a high-profile quarterback that the staff hasn't had on the roster. With four years of eligibility remaining, he could be a long-term solution for the coaches.