Malachi Nelson QB UTEP | NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
Malachi Nelson QB UTEP
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| PLAY STYLE: Pocket Passer | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 05/30/2025 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2026 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 40 time: 4.55 seconds (94%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Age: 21.6 DOB: 12/07/2003 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| PLAY STYLE: Pocket Passer | |
| Last Updated: 05/30/2025 | |
| Draft Year: 2026 | |
| 40 time: 4.55 seconds (94%*) | |
| Age: 21.6 DOB: 12/07/2003 | |
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| Overall Rating: | 81.3 / 100 | |
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| Average rating of opposition Defense player has faced | ||
| Defense Rating: |
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68% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| Release Speed: |
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86% |
| Short Passing: |
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64% |
| Medium Passing: |
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72% |
| Long Passing: |
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70% |
| Rush/Scramble: |
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54% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
6th
Overall Rank:
#181
Position rank:
#15
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| College Games: 4 College Snaps: 61 | ||
ESPN RATING: 93/100
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247 RATING: 99/100
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RIVALS RATING: 6.1 (100%)
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| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Kedon Slovis - BYU |
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61% |
| McKenzie Milton - Florida State |
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58% |
| Kellen Mond - Texas A&M |
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54% |
Draft Profile: Bio
Malachi Nelson burst onto the national scene as the consensus number one recruit in America, earning unanimous five-star status and capturing back-to-back Gatorade California Player of the Year honors in 2021 and 2022. His high school dominance was undeniable - 2,891 yards and 35 touchdowns as a senior with precision that turned heads from coast to coast.The expected trajectory hit turbulence once Nelson reached college. After redshirting his freshman season at USC behind Caleb Williams, he found himself buried on the depth chart and entered the transfer portal in December 2023. His next stop at Boise State proved equally challenging, as he lost the starting job battle to Maddux Madsen and managed just 128 yards on 17 attempts across three garbage-time appearances. Another December portal entry led him to UTEP, where he now sits as the most decorated recruit in program history attempting to resurrect a career that's been more about potential than production.
Nelson's high school resume remains impressive even as his college story continues to unfold. Beyond the individual accolades, he guided Los Alamitos to multiple deep playoff runs while showcasing the arm talent that made him a household name in recruiting circles. His junior campaign featured 2,690 yards and 39 touchdowns, demonstrating the consistency that separates elite prospects from mere talented throwers. The question now becomes whether the former Elite 11 participant can translate that high school success into meaningful college production at a program looking to climb from the bottom of Conference USA.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Possesses legitimate NFL arm strength with impressive velocity on intermediate routes and deep balls that arrive with authority.
- Natural thrower with fluid mechanics and smooth release that creates consistent ball placement across all three levels.
- Demonstrates excellent off-platform accuracy when forced to improvise, altering arm angles while maintaining precision under pressure.
- Shows advanced field vision and processes information quickly, making pre-snap reads that indicate high football intelligence.
- Mobility serves as genuine weapon with surprising burst when extending plays, though he prioritizes finding receivers over scrambling.
- Touch passes are thing of beauty, particularly on back-shoulder throws and fade routes where he drops ball perfectly.
- Frame allows for additional mass without sacrificing mobility, suggesting durability improvements are achievable with proper conditioning program.
- Competitive fire burns bright despite limited opportunities, showing resilience through multiple program changes and quarterback battles.
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Turnover rate remains concerning with interception frequency that suggests decision-making issues when facing defensive pressure.
- Slender build raises durability questions about surviving contact from Power Four pass rushers and linebacker blitzes.
- Limited game experience creates uncertainty about performance consistency when facing quality defensive schemes week after week.
- Pocket presence needs refinement as he sometimes abandons clean pockets prematurely instead of stepping up through pressure.
- Ball security becomes shaky when attempting to extend plays, leading to fumbles and dangerous throwing situations.
Scouting Report: Summary
Nelson walks into the 2025 season carrying more questions than answers, but the foundation remains intriguing enough to warrant serious attention from NFL evaluators. His natural throwing ability hasn't diminished despite the college struggles, and quarterbacks with his combination of arm talent and athleticism don't grow on trees. The UTEP opportunity represents his best chance to finally showcase the skills that made him the nation's top recruit, particularly in an offensive system that should maximize his mobility and improvisation skills.The development timeline becomes crucial here. Nelson needs to prove he can handle a full season's workload while making smart decisions against varying defensive looks. His ceiling remains incredibly high - the arm strength translates to every NFL throw, and his mobility adds a dimension that coordinators covet in today's league. Teams running zone-read concepts or RPO-heavy schemes would find his skill set particularly appealing, as he processes quickly enough to make the right choice when given multiple options.
Don't sleep on this evaluation. While the college production hasn't matched the hype, quarterback development rarely follows linear paths, and Nelson's physical tools haven't deteriorated. A strong showing at UTEP could vault him back into Day Two consideration, especially given how thin the 2026 quarterback class appears early in the evaluation process. The talent that earned him five-star status remains intact - now it's about putting the pieces together when the lights are brightest.
How other scouting services rate Malachi Nelson (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
133.7
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
10.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.