USC quarterback Malachi Nelson is anticipated to enter the switch portal after only one season with the Trojans, in keeping with 247Sports. Nelson was a former five-star recruit who has been intertwined with USC coach Lincoln Riley since July 2021.
Nelson was a blue-chip recruit persistently in rivalry to be the No. 1 quarterback within the Class of 2023. He ended up rated because the No. 5 passer and No. 13 total recruit within the Top247 rankings out of Los Alamitos Excessive Faculty in Southern California. Nelson initially dedicated to Oklahoma however flipped to USC two days after Riley left the Sooners for the Trojans.
The Southern California native joined broad receiver Zachariah Department and tight finish Duce Robinson because the crown jewels of Riley’s first full recruiting class at USC. Nelson was anticipated to compete for the beginning job in 2024, however enters the portal after simply three passes and nil profession passing yards at USC.
Riley has been one of the vital profitable quarterback builders of the twenty first century, creating three of his 5 beginning quarterbacks into Heisman Trophy winners throughout his stints at Oklahoma and USC. The earlier two — Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray — had been chosen No. 1 within the NFL Draft. Caleb Williams, Riley’s incumbent at USC, is anticipated to hitch the listing within the 2024 NFL Draft. Riley additionally helped develop Jalen Hurts right into a second-round choose and in the end an All-Professional with the Philadelphia Eagles.
The place the Trojans go from right here
USC has been overtly tied to a number of quarterbacks within the switch portal, together with Kansas State’s Will Howard, Washington State’s Cameron Ward and Texas’ Maalik Murphy. Murphy is a Southern California native out of Junipero Serra. The Trojans wouldn’t have a passer dedicated within the Class of 2024 or 2025, however Riley does maintain a dedication from Julian Lewis, the No. 1 total participant within the Class of 2026.
Williams opted out of the Trojans’ Vacation Bowl matchup on Dec. 27. Sophomore Miller Moss is listed as the first backup and was prone to begin. If Nelson is unavailable, Moss could be the one lively scholarship quarterback within the bowl sport.
